AI
by chios06
Summary: Vehicle Voltron and the Explorer come across a powerful robeast, enough to crash the Explorer into Planet Arus. The Princess reveals a secret held by both Lion and Vehicle Voltron.
1. Chapter 1

* * *

The darkness of space holds many secrets, it is not unusual to encounter them on a journey of exploration such as this one. It was pure serenity for the Commander now. Nothing, absolutely nothing was happening now. The Commander couldn't believe it, no blips on the scanners, and the usual communication noises coming from the consoles being operated by a few of the crew. He stood with his arms crossed like King Tut, in the middle of the bridge of the SS Explorer looking out into the stars. He was tall and somewhat lanky in stature, his face was young yet held a somewhat gruff exterior to it. His uniform was of two shades of brown neatly pressed and clean. His name was Commander Hawkins. Commander Hawkins just stood there taking in the vast and beautiful sight of space ahead of him in the main viewer. Yes, the darkness of space held many secrets, but it also held many wonders. It was those wonders that put him where he was today. At that moment, the Captain, whose last name was Newley, entered the bridge, everyone stood up as he entered, but they didn't stand quietly. The Captain was short in stature but very well built and his hair was cut short almost like a crew cut. You would say that he was a football player. He loved the game, and when he could he would take time out to see one every so often and on break times he would gather up some of the Voltron Force and they would play football. Captain Newley was a tough man to get by, he looked mean and he was when he had to be, but when he entered the bridge this time the looked ridiculous. Even the Commander couldn't contain a stifled laugh. The Captain was covered in what looked like pancake batter. 

"Did you get hit by one of Sammy's breakfast surprises?" laughed Hawkins with a moderately bass voice.

"Hah! Breakfast Surprise... the damn thing exploded in the kitchen, the whole mess hall is... well, what it says it is to be, a big mess!" yelled the Captain. His voice sounding like that of an announcer crossed with John Wayne.

"Sam should start cooking some real food someday instead of those... concoctions." As the Commander said this, he remembered the rice pudding concoction he had one day, to describe it any further would make anyone loose their lunch.

"How many times have you told him that?" asked the Captain dripping pancake batter all over the floor of the bridge.

"I don't know. I lost count about several weeks ago." the Commander replied. "I think we need to stop at a starbase for a supply refill, at least Sam can't make Breakfast Surprise."

The Commander was now watching the floor around where the Captain was standing. "Geez, Newley! You're getting that stuff all over the floor!" Hawkins yelled. "Go get changed, and then report to this station, I'll go see what's going on in the mess hall, I'm famished!"

"Good luck finding something edible!" said the Captain as he walked out of the bridge to the left and into his quarters not far from the bridge. Hawkins went to one of the crew controlling the helm, "Do you think you can manage the ship until the Captain gets back?"

"Yes sir." replied the helmsman.

"Good." said Hawkins as he left the bridge to the helmsman temporarily. Hawkins had learned to trust his crew completely over the years, they never let him down. For Commander Hawkins his job on the ship was mostly to enforce the Captain's orders, but the Captain liked to share the power of authority for a good reason. He had a whole fleet of other ships surrounding the Explorer to command. It was the best way to keep each other in check when regarding their performance at their duties as well as the duties of other crew members who liked to goof off on the job. Just as the Commander was thinking about Rocky, one of the most notorious for goofing off on the job, Rocky was suddenly walking beside him, Rocky had entered the corridor through the hangar bay in which the 15 ships of Voltron were docked. Rocky was a member ofthe Voltron Force Air Team piloting the upper torso ship #4. He was wearing his blue and white uniform while doing repair work. The uniform had black stains all over it.

"Rocky, what the hell happened to you?" as if the Commander didn't know.

Rocky was built like the captain but stood slightly taller and spoke with a thick Brooklyn accent to his voice. "I don't understand it?" he said.

Rocky seemed puzzled which was quite odd because you would almost never find him pondering something. "What don't you understand?" the commander replied, if it was a problem in the repair work the Captain had to know that Voltron is temporarily grounded. "I was down here doin' a systems test, to keep myself busy then da power in my ship just suddenly went dead." Rocky hesitated before  
saying this. "I got out and checkt da main control matrix, ya know, stupid me had probably fried it again, and it was runnin' at twice its power. Rocky continued. "I kept hearin' this weird noise commin' from da matrix." "I know what it sounds like but I forgot what dat type of noise is called." Rocky stopped and tried to think.

"Rocky, am I actually seeing you eccentrically stop in the middle of a corridor to think?" asked Commander Hawkins in amazement.

"Yeah, so what's wrong wit' it?" replied Rocky defensively.

Commander Hawkins knew that if anything required Rocky to think there is more to the problem. "Rocky, I need you to tell me what you think is going on with Voltron." "If he is out of commission, I must know."Rocky heard his stomach growling, "You headin' to Sammy's?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I was." said the Commander "I've been cooped up in the bridge for five hours."

"I wonder what Sammy is going to make us eat today?" Rocky said.

"Breakfast Suprise." replied the Commander.

Rocky started to clutch his stomach as if he were going to vomit, "Aw, man!" yelped Rocky. "Did ya hafta go and say dat?"

"Well the captain got a nasty preview of today's Breakfast Suprise." said the Commander.

"Stop, I'm gonna be sick!" Rocky replied. They approached the entrance to the mess hall. Above the door was an Italian flag with "Sammy's" juxtaposed over it. The doors slid open with the hydraulic whooshing sound of the cylinders.

They looked at the dining part of the mess hall, it was clean. But when they took a look at the counter, there was pancake batter all over it. Except for one seat which was probably where the captain got his Breakfast Suprise too early. Just behind the counter, there was Sammy. He was the typical Italian chef, short and stout. His specialty was pizza, he made a pizza sauce no one else could find in this universe, yet everybody wanted it. This time he had long since run out of the necessary ingredients for the sauce as well as ingredients for many other entrees as well. Sammy was one of the best chefs when he had the time and the resources. Unfortunately, he was now stuck having to clean up the Breakfast Suprise from the kitchen and countertops swearing in Italian all the while. Sammy looks up to see who entered the cafeteria. His mouth dropped open when he saw the Commander standing there.

"Oh!... Commander," Sammy stammered in a heavy Italian accent, "You a should not a be here, I am a not a done a yet with a the cleaning." "Well,... except for the counter I'd say you did a quick job of cleaning the mess hall." said the Commander looking around the hall again.

"Oh a yeah?" Sammy retorted, "Well a you should have a seen this a place before!" Sammy cursed in Italian again.

"Sam,... In English if you don't mind,..." warned the Commander.

"Sorry to bother ya, but do ya have somethin' ta eat besides what's on the countertop?" Rocky interrupted not wanting to get on Sam's bad side.

Sammy looked back up at Rocky with a scowl on his face, but when he saw that Rocky meant no harm, he looked back down at the splattered pancake batter and started to think. "I tell a you what, I can't a cook anything until the kitchen is a cleaned up." Sammy said, "I guess a you have to make a yourself something. Help a yourself to a whatever is in a the refrigerators in a the kitchen." Sammy paused at what he said because he usually never lets anyone into his kitchen unless they were going to help him cook. What could he cook now, the whole kitchen is a mess. That reminded him of something, as the Commander and Rocky started to walk into the kitchen.

"A watch a where you a put a your feet, the floor is a very slippery." Sam warned. The first thing he heard was a "wha, wha, WHOA!" and then a muffled thunk.

"I a told you!" Sam replied to the noises he heard. Then there was a couple of muffled words Sam couldn't understand, probably more swear words from Rocky.

"There are the refrigerators, maybe we will find something to make a sandwich with." said the Commander.

"Yech! It's a lot better than dis stuff." Rocky replied as he picked himself up from the batter covered floor. The Commander looked around the kitchen, shook his head, and started laughing. Then he walked over to the large stainless steel (covered with pancake batter) refrigerators, grabbed the handle of the closest one and opened it. There was nothing inside.

"It looks like we really need to stop at a starbase." the Commander mumbled. "I just hope all the refrigerators aren't like this." the Commander opened the next refrigerator, to find a large bowl of pancake batter, he immediately closed it.

"What's in dere," Rocky said slightly anxious.

"You don't want to know." the Commander replied in a grim tone.Rocky walked up to another refrigerator and opened it.

"Ay! A look a what I a found!" Rocky said in his quite accurate imitation of Sam. "A bologna, a salami, a Swiss a da cheese, and a da lettuce." Rocky said as he threw each item at the Commander, the Commander caught them with virtually no effort. Just then Cliff entered the kitchen.

"What on earth happened in here!" Cliff yelled in a Australian accent as he looked at the batter covered kitchen. Cliff was a thin but sturdy, blonde haired, fair skinned "bloke" of the Voltron Force Land Team.

His uniform was the usual Land Team crimson and white. He was quite a joker when he was bored and extremely witty and assertive when he wanted to be. But most of the time, he views the universe with a logical and objective view.

"Breakfast Suprise," Rocky said to Cliff.

"Not again!" Cliff said, "I bloody hate that stuff!"

"Ay! A don't a knock it! It is all I a got!" Sam replied from the other room.

"Rocky, we need bread, can you find any?" the Commander said as he started to walk out of the kitchen with the lunch meat and etc. He slid on the batter covered floor once, and yet, still maintained his balance. Cliff walked up to Rocky. "Did you find out what's wrong with your ship yet?" Cliff said sounding slightly concerned.

"Nope, not yet." said Rocky.

"Jeff needs the report soon," said Cliff.

"So does the Commander." Rocky replied, "I was jus' gonna talk it over wit' him."

"Good, I'd like to hear what is going on." Cliff said, "I think I have been having the same problems."

"No kiddin'!" Rocky replied.

"This may be serious, I have a bad feeling something is going on in this area." Cliff said solemnly.

"Here it is, bread!" Rocky yelled as his stomach growled.

"We have a serious situation, and all you can think about is food?" chided Cliff.

"Hey, I haven't eaten for four hours. Like it or not, I'm eatin'.

On a planet not too far away, nighttime graces the land. The moons shone high in the sky causing an eerie yet beautiful luminous glow from the trees and lake. The sky was a crystal clear midnight blue with white speckles in its wide expanse. It was the perfect night to use the telescope. That is exactly what a young boy was doing, he stood at the front gates of a large silver castle. He was short and thin, and wore large glasses, His hair was brown and slightly long. This gave an unusually androgynous appearance to him. He was a member of the Voltron Force, one of the original five space explorers. The castle he was looking at, was one of the most technological advances of the times on this planet. It was practically indestructible. It was set in front of a desert and right in front of a volcanic chasm. A lake surrounded its front and sides and the forest was not too far ahead. A large bridge crossed the lake from the castle gates to the boundary of the dense forest. A little path could be seen parting the forest where the bridge meets it. At the end of this bridge and the beginning of this path, a large metal column stood arching right over the bridge's entrance. On the top of this large metal column was a large metal lion black in color. By the way the lion was sitting, it was waiting patiently,... for something to happen. The boy stared at the Black lion for a while, and then he was joined by a beautiful young woman wearing a frilly pink dress and a flat, silver, crescent shaped crown on her head. She sneaked up on the boy and right in his ear she said, "BOO!" The boy started yelling "NGAAAHH!" and when he started to run, he tripped over himself and fell off the bridge into the water.

"Pidge!" the woman gasped. When Pidge resurfaced she apologized to him. Pidge splashed her.

"How dare you splash a royal princess!" the woman said in a snobby disgusted tone, but she was only kidding.

"I'm sorry, but you shouldn't give me a reason to, Princess." Pidge said floating toward the bridge. Pidge grabbed the bridge which was low enough to the lake, and pulled himself up onto it.

"What are you doing out here?" said the Princess.

"Oh, just catching up on a bit of astronomy," said Pidge. "It is a good night for it too."

"I can see that," the Princess said as she looked up to the night sky. "So many stars out there, It's unbelievable." The Princess looked around at the surrounding environment. "I never knew Arus could look so serene at night," the Princess said.

Pidge grabbed the end of the telescope and started looking at more stars, then he pointed it to one of the moons of Arus. "Look at this," he said as he motioned the Princess to come toward the telescope. The Princess approached the telescope and took the viewing end in her hand, she then looked into the telescope to see a small silhouette on the face of the moon. "Hmm, I wonder what that is," the Princess replied, "Do you have any better lenses?"

"No, just this one." Pidge said "I can't find the others."

"We will just have to let Coran look at it with the castle's scanners," the Princess said. All of a sudden, a loud screaming came from one of the front windows of the castle. The scream said in a very curt manner,

"PRINCESS ALLURA! GET BACK TO YOUR STUDIES AT ONCE!"

"Uh, Oh! Hurricane Nanny is on the loose again!" giggled Pidge.

"Great!" the Princess sighed, "Doesn't she know how to speak in any other volume except loud?"

"Ooooh! That was some remark, If Nanny heard that she would kill you!"

"DON'T MAKE ME COME DOWN THERE!" Nanny yelled at the top of her lungs.

"ALRIGHT NANNY!" the Princess yelled back, "I'LL BE UP IN A MINUTE!"

"NOW!" Nanny yelled, "AND DON'T GET SMART WITH ME YOUNG GIRL!"

"She has a voice loud enough to wake the dead!" Pidge giggled.

"You haven't heard her blood curdling scream yet," the Princess said grimly.

"Don't tell me anymore, I don't want to know!" Pidge said imagining what kind of scream he thought would come out of Nanny. He instinctively put his hands over his ears. This made the Princess laugh.

"AND YOU, BOY!" Nanny started to yell again, "GET IN HERE, YOU ARE SOAKING WET AND IT IS COLD OUTSIDE,... I DON'T WANT YOU TO CATCH COLD!"

"Oh don't be such a worry wart!" Pidge said under his breath.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY!" Nanny yelled defensively.

"She's got ears like a hawk too!" Pidge said to the Princess.

"PRINCESS!" Nanny yelled again.

"All right, All right, I'm coming!" said the Princess hopelessly.

Pidge started to put his telescope away. "I guess I'm done for the night too, if Nanny has anything to say about it," Pidge sighed. Pidge took the rotating knobs off the telescope, put the lens caps on, and laid the telescope in its case. He snapped the case closed and turned to the castle. Just as he did that the Black Lion in the monument moved. Pidge turned to look at the lion. It was looking up at the moon with the dark spot on it. Pidge started to shiver because of the cold, but he also felt a weird presence around him. All of a sudden the lion stared roaring loudly. The thing about that was, the lion wasn't on, or at least he didn't think that Keith had activated it yet. If the Force was needed Pidge would have been notified long before the lion started roaring. Pidge stared at the lion for a while watching it majestically sit  
there roaring at the moon.

"I'd better go tell Keith that there may be something wrong with his lion." Pidge thought to himself.

Pidge squished into the castle in his wet shoes, leaving the lion roaring outside. He walked through the main chamber and into the control room. To see the Voltron Force (except the Princess) looking at the monitor. The monitor showed the dark figure on the moon being replayed as it was there and then it suddenly vanished. The scene replayed several times until Coran, who was sitting at the controls, spoke up.

"I believe that this has nothing to do with Zarkon, Lotor, or anyone else from planet Doom. It seems to be some other type of entity." Coran said thoughtfully. "I have never seen any of the Doom ships move that quickly before."

"You think we're being visited by aliens," said Hunk oddly.

"Oooh, Aaaaliens, Scaaaary. Lance said sarcastically.

"I don't know," said Keith somberly, his face without expression whatsoever, "Zarkon's witch Haggar is known for creating new robeasts all the time."

"Hey Keith!" Pidge interrupted still soaked, "Your lion is making quite a racket out there! Maybe you should go check on it."

"That lion hasn't been activated, I still got the key!" Keith said "You must be hearing things, Pidge."

"No, Keith, I'm serious it's deafening out there." Pidge exclaimed. They all walked outside and looked at the Lion Monument. Sure enough the lion was still roaring at a painful volume. It roared for five more minutes, and then stopped. It was incredibly quiet. The lion moved back into its resting position. Lance looked at Keith, "What could have caused that?"

"Do you think the aliens could,..." "Knock it off, Hunk!" Lance interrupted.

"I don't know about you, but it's cold out there." Pidge said still a little wet from his encounter with the Princess. "THAT IS BEACAUSE YOU ARE SOAKED." exclaimed Nanny, who within one second grabbed Pidge's ear and pulled him inside, ranting about catching a cold and what not. Lance and Hunk followed them in laughing. "I don't know, it's almost as if it is telling us something," said Keith still staring at the lion. "King Alfor would know." Coran said, "I've seen this happen before, but I can't remember what it was all about."

Just then Nanny and Princess Allura came running up to the rest of them, Allura was the first to join them followed by a tired and panting Nanny following behind. "What is going on, I was about to start my studies when I heard one of the lions roaring so loud, it almost broke the windows in my room." Allura asked in amazement. Coran started looking at the lion in amazement, "The Sonic Roar?... Could it be?" Coran thought, I haven't heard that ever since the time Haggar put the spell on Voltron. "Princess, I must speak with you in the Royal Library privately." Coran said very nervously. His face was almost completely white with fear.

"Coran, what is the matter, I've never seen you like this." said a very concerned Allura.

"I will explain later, right now we must make preparations!" Coran said in his authoritative tone.

"Preparations, for what?" Keith asked Coran interrogatively.

"I don't know, but you must trust me." Coran said solemnly, "It may mean life or death to many."

In space, a small ship was zooming away as fast as it could, Two women were aboard, one was a beautiful brunette, very slim and dressed somewhat sensuously. The other was an old craggy looking witch, with a dark gray face and warts and pimples. She wore a robe which made her look like a monk.

"Haggar! I don't know what I am going to do with you!" yelled the brunette. "I can't! I can't! The evil spirits will get me! I know it!" Haggar yelled in worry.

"Alright! If it will help I will cast a spell of protection over you! Now stop whining and turn this ship around now! Yelled the brunette in Haggar's face "The evil spirits won't get you! They have to go through me first!"

Haggar looked up at her, "You would do that,... for me? You would lay your life down for mine?"

"It is all a part of the transformation. As soon as the spell is completely lifted you will return to me." yelled Haggar's friend, "We must return to Arus, you will be safe there."

"What about the Voltron Force?" If they see me, they will kill me!" Haggar whined.

"Stop it!" and with that Haggar's friend slapped her across her craggy old face. Haggar was thrown by the impact and she rolled across the room hitting the other wall, Haggar was hyperventilating and tears were rolling down her baggy eyes. "I,... can't,... do,... this!" Haggar cried.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Haggar's friend said in frustration. "I didn't mean to hit you so hard."

Haggar's friend knelt down and hugged Haggar in comfort. "Haggar, soon you will be able to fight the evil spirits, and then the Goddess at the end of the Universe will join our conciousnesses again. "But you must trust me." Haggar's friend said. "I will take us back to Arus. Then you will, in front of the Voltron Force and the spirit of King Alfor, completely release the spell you put on Voltron." The young Haggar said.

"Voltron? He's just a robot. Are you sure this will work?" old Haggar asked weakly.

"I am certain. Now get up and sit in the co-pilot's chair." The young Haggar commanded lightly. "I don't know why you insist on flying there, I could just spin a little magic and we would be there in no time." The old Haggar said.

"Haggar! No magic! You know what the Goddess said. No magic unless it is an emergency. It will let the evil spirits know where we are." The young Haggar warned. "What about the prophecy of the evil one? Do you know what we will be doing?" old Haggar asked worriedly.

"Haggar, there is a way to avoid this from starting," young Haggar said. "But we must be very careful, anything could happen from this point on."

"But how will we know what to do? If anything can happen I don't want to go into the situation ass first!" old Haggar said.

The young Haggar looked at her old and ugly counterpart with amazement. "Ass first?" the young Haggar asked in humorous astonishment. Then the young Haggar burst out laughing.

"What's so funny!" the old Haggar inquired annoyingly. "Stop laughing at me!"

"Oh Haggar! I think the curse on you is starting to wear off!" the young Haggar said laughing and with some excitement, "It was so funny to hear that phrase coming from you."

The old Haggar was not getting the joke, so she sat in the co-pilot's chair sulking while the young Haggar just kept on laughing.

"Yeah, Yeah, Laugh it up!" The old Haggar said flatly. This was too much for the young Haggar and she burst out laughing again.

Old Haggar looked out the window to see something big and blue and green.

"AAAAHHHHH! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING! WE'RE GOING TO CRASH!" Old Haggar yelled being scared to the point of nearly fainting.

"Oh my! I didn't know we were already upon Arus." young Haggar said as she looked ahead then with little effort realigned the ship so that it was parallel to the ground. Then she landed the ship in a glade just about 50 meters from the Castle of Lions.

"You fly like a mad woman!" old Haggar yelled, "I don't know how you convinced me into this." They exited the ship old Haggar was still complaining about being nearly killed, and how the young Haggar landed the ship to far from the castle.

"Oh, don't be such a big baby! The walk will do you some good!" young Haggar said apathetically.

They both walked the fifty meters, old Haggar trailing behind and complaining of her age. When they finally reached the Lion Monument, a bright light shone on both of them. The Black lion was leaning its head down with its lighted eyes watching them carefully.

"That lion scares the living crap out of me!" old Haggar stammered.

"Don't worry, it won't bite you." young Haggar said comforting her scared counterpart. They walked across the bridge to the front castle gate. Just then the water around them started to move. The castle alarms went off with a loud clangor, all of a sudden old Haggar was being lifted from the ground by some type of water monster. Young Haggar quickly went to her aid, but she couldn't get the monster to loosen its grip on old Haggar. Soon old Haggar saw the Voltron Force running out of the castle gates then everything went black.

_ The sky was dark, old Haggar could tell she was on Arus because of its tell-tale landscape. Something behind her was on fire. She could feel the heat of the inferno, it was very close to her. She looked behind her and she saw Vehicle Voltron on fire! Vehicle Voltron was_ _all mangled and twisted and damaged. This sight would have usually pleased her but she was only horrified. She looked up at Vehicle_ _Voltron's head, there wasn't one! Vehicle Voltron's head suddenly lie next to her the robot's eyes were distant, "Help me." Voltron said_ _weakly. Old Haggar knew that neither of the Voltrons talked, but this one was talking to her. "I don't understand." She said back to the once_ _mighty robot hoping to get an answer. The book... the block... the key... Voltron's eyes dimmed and went out. "What?" old Haggar asked in complete confusion. She had no idea what the robot could be telling her. All of a sudden Vehicle Voltron's facial features changed to a mix of two other more sinister looking faces. The robots eyes went from a distant dim yellow to a fiery deep and bright crimson. Two voices emerged from the robot, one vaguely familiar the other unrecognizable. "Time is running out!" The robot said, it looked as if the robot had been possessed._  
_"What do you want?" Haggar managed to say in fear. "We only wish one thing... the destruction of the alliance!"_  
_Why was Vehicle Voltron in all of this? She only put the spell on Lion Voltron. What could these beings speaking through the robot want with the alliance. She recognized one of the faces when a voice nearly shouted in her ear._

_ "Come Haggar! We have much evil to do!" a grim voice shouted to her. "No! I don't want to go back! I want to live again!" old Haggar cried to the voice. Zarkon suddenly appeared in front of her. "You will obey me old witch!" Zarkon commanded flatly._

_ "No! I don't want to! You can't make me."_

_ Zarkon's laugh could be heard loudly, multiplying and growing louder. The laugh was deafening. Haggar covered her ears, she saw her__beautiful counterpart turn back into her ugly form "Haggar help me!" the transforming young Haggar screamed. "I can't! I can't!" Haggar_ _heard herself saying. Zarkon appeared in front of her again. "DIE YOU OLD WORTHLESS WITCH!" Haggar screamed and tried to run_ _away but Zarkon grabbed her shoulder Haggar screamed in horror. She soon found herself in a bed surrounded by her young counterpart__and the Voltron Force. _

The young Haggar was shaking the old Haggar, "Haggar! Wake up! The old Haggar screamed as she bolted upright in her bed. Old Haggar looked around the room, to see that she was safe from Zarkon and the evil surrounding her. All the old Haggar could do was cry.

"You had another nightmare again didn't you?" young Haggar asked hugging the old Haggar and trying to comfort her. "It's all over now, you're safe."  
All the old witch said was "When will it end,... When will it end?" Old Haggar repeated this question over and over as she was being comforted. The Voltron Force just looked at each other. Now they were convinced that this was no trick on Haggar's part.

Even the mice watching from the chandelier were convinced. Coran walked into the room.

"Princess I must see you in the Royal Library." Coran repeated.

"Do you think she will be all right?" The princess asked the young Haggar.

"No, I don't think she will be all right until the transformation takes place." The young Haggar said, "She needs all of you to trust her, your father, and even Voltron."

"My father?" Allura gasped. "But my father would never hold a grudge on someone, even if it was Haggar."

"Allura, please! This is urgent!" Coran had a sting to his tone of voice. Allura turned and walked out of Haggars' room.

"Coran, I must say that you have been acting strangely lately." said a concerned Allura.

"I am looking for a book, I can't find it in the Royal Library." Coran said, "King Alfor has probably hidden it."

"That book, whatever it was, could have been destroyed in the transformation of the castle." Allura replied.

"None the less, we must check your father's tomb. We may need that book." Coran had a very serious look to his face.

"Why is this book so important?" Allura asked, bothered by Coran's seriousness.

"It is Voltron's Handbook, it was the manual used when the mighty robot was originally built. It contained all of your father's notes on Voltron and his system." Coran said.

"Is there something wrong with Voltron?" Allura asked.

"No,... not yet." Coran said solemnly. 

Commander Hawkins, Cliff, and Rocky were eating their lunch, they were eating sandwiches because their cook, Sam, did not have much other food supplies left in the refrigerators qith the exception ofr an abundance of Breakfast Surprise. Commander Hawkins had just completed eating a rather large sandwich that he made (he hadn't eaten for five hours). Rocky was making his third sandwich and Cliff was watching Rocky put it all away in amazement.

"You eat like a pig, Rock." Cliff said humorously.

"Yeah? Wanna make somethin' of it? Rocky said lifting a fist.

"Rocky, You wouldn't 'it me, not in front of the Commander." Cliff warned. Rocky put his threatening fist back down on the table, Cliff had clearly seen through the scare tactic.

"I'm gonna save dis sandwich for later." Rocky said smugly looking at Cliff who then looked at the Commander in shock. All the Commander could do was shrug his shoulders.

"Rocky 'as been acting weird lately, 'asn't he?" Cliff asked the Commander.

"I'd say so." Hawkins replied, "I think it's because of that noise problem." The Commander was trying to get them to talk now that it looked like their break times were over. They both looked at Rocky who was now staring up at the ceiling.

"'Ay! Rock! Wake up, will ya?" Cliff waved a hand over Rocky's eyes.

"Do you guys hear somethin'?" Rocky said to them both.

"I don't hear anything." Cliff said.

The Commander was now looking around the room. Then the Commander caught a bit of the sound Rocky was hearing.

"Yes, I think I know what your talking about now." Hawkins said to Rocky. "It sounds like a digital transmission."

"Yeah, dat's it. It sounds like one of dem old modem type things." Rocky said.

Now that Cliff got a description of what they were hearing, he started to hear it to. "That, sound 'as been comin' from the land ships." Cliff said as he made a positive identification.

"That sound must be all over the ship." Hawkins supposed, "Do you think someone is trying to contact us?"

Meanwhile on the bridge of the Explorer, Captain Newley had taken his command post. He was going to send a message to planet Arus to expect them within the next few days. They needed supplies badly (especially food, the Captain was no longer going to put up with Sam's explosive Breakfast Suprise.) The helmsman turned toward the Captain's chair. "Sir, I'm getting an unusual signal over all frequencies.

"Let's hear it." Captain Newly commanded.

"Aye, sir." The Helmsman turned to the console he was stationed at. He punched a few buttons and soon the digital transmission could be heard over the bridge speakers.

"Can you determine the origin of this message?" The Captain asked.

"No sir, it seems to be coming from everywhere, it also seems to be intensifying." The Helmsman said. The person at Communications turned to the Captain. "How come he is getting the transmission? I don't hear a thing over the sub-space channels." All of a sudden, the bridge lights went out and the alert siren went off.

"What the...?" Captain Newley said looking around the bridge.

The Helmsman spoke up, "We have lost all power."

"What about the armada?" The Captain asked calmly.

"Sir,... The armada is gone!" The Helmsman said in amazement.

"What? How can a whole armada disappear?" the Captain asked in wonder.

"I think the Armada lost us." The Helmsman replied, "I am not getting any co-ordinates from anywhere. It's like we are in a limbo."

"Send out a distress call, maybe someone will hear it." the Captain said to the Helmsman. There was a beeping noise at the console in between the communications and the helm.

"Someone man that station!" the Captain yelled. The Captain went to a com-link, and opened the PA. "Commander to the bridge!"

Back at Sammy's the sound was getting louder. It was so loud that the Commander almost didn't hear the PA.

"Mama Mia!" Sam shouted over the noise, "Would a somebody stop a da screeching!"

The Commander started to feel a rumble underneath his feet. Another siren went off. It was the one he rarely heard but knew it well. "THE HULL IS GOING TO BREACH! EVERYONE OUT NOW!" The Commander shouted, everyone just heard enough to understand and soon they were all out of the mess hall. Just as the large doors closed, the Commander saw the whole mess hall get sucked into a black starless void. He was just glad that  
there were only four in that room.

"What in bloody 'eck is going on?" Cliff exclaimed. The Commander was walking to the bridge. "That's what I'm going to find out."

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

VOLTRON: DEFENDER OF THE UNIVERSE and characters are the property of World Events Productions (copyright 1984,1997-2000 All rights reserved.) and Toei Animation.  



	2. Chapter 2

* * *

On Arus, Coran and the Princess walk down many flights of stairs to the lowest parts of the Castle including the Tomb of King Alfor. A large metal door with a decoration of a lion head guards the tomb. Both Coran and the Princess make the sign of the crucifix. The lion's eyes glow brightly and then the large metal door opens. Both Coran and Allura enter the tomb. The door closes behind them leaving them in total darkness for only a few seconds, and then with a flash of brilliant light, King Alfor appears before his beloved daughter and faithful advisor. 

"Coran, you seem very worried. What has brought you before me?" King Alfor said in a ghostly but peaceful calmness.

"Your Majesty, I have heard the Sonic Roar from the Black Lion, and Haggar has come to release the curse and ask for you to witness it." Coran said worriedly Alfor then smiled, "This is the best news I have heard in a long time."

"Father, I apologize but I must know, What is this Sonic Roar?" Allura interrupted as polite as possible.

"My Daughter," he said with a bright smile and a tear in his eye. It had been a while since he had last seen his own daughter. "The Sonic Roar is one of the few weapons Voltron has in his Lion form." Alfor started, "But I have made it so that it only roars when the curse is to be removed. And by the news I am hearing, this is the day that Voltron becomes whole again. The day Voltron awakens!" Alfor said with a tone of excitement. "All these years since I repaired Voltron I was never able to release the curse from him. Now this curse will be released!" Alfor said emotionally.

Allura almost exploded with joy. Allura remembered the times when she would sit on the bridge near the front castle gates. Voltron would fly overhead and even wave to her as he passed by. However, Voltron didn't say much. He was constantly alerted by some unknown force, always aware of danger. She felt safe all the time.

"But your Majesty, what about the prophecy." Coran asked, What do we do?"

"Prophecy?" Allura wondered.

"A long time ago," Alfor began, "a stranger came to our planet, he told me that three prophecies will be fulfilled. He predicted Voltron's decline along with my death, the five explorers, and the day Voltron will awaken again."

"I don't see much we have to be worried about." Allura said.

"I wouldn't be so sure. The prophet also said that the day Voltron awakens an enemy will attain great power, powerful enough to be able to destroy two Voltrons. 'We must be prepared for the worst and the best.' was all he said before he disappeared without a trace." Coran concluded.

"Do we know who this enemy is? Allura asked.

"For all we know it could be Zarkon, Lotor, or it could even be one of us." Coran warned.

"Coran is right Allura. We must prepare, and should the worst happen, we must have faith." Alfor said. "I shall give you the manuals you will need to ensure Voltron's recovery, for this is an event that can't be avoided and he can only help us." Alfor's ghostly figure soon disappeared, and a door, hidden in the wall opened. The Princess and Coran walked slowly into the room. It was dark, all except for three lights, two of them shining down upon a large, silver bound book on a pedestal. Both books had imprints on the front. One had a lion head imprint, the other a vehicle imprint. The third light was a laser beam coming from a far wall and hitting a mirror attached to the pedestal in   
which the Lion Voltron Manual rested.

"Coran," Allura gasped in wonder, "Did my father build both Voltrons?" She picked up the book with the vehicle imprint. It was very large and very heavy. It also had a large metal clip with a small computerized lock on it.

"Yes Allura, he did." Coran began, "The first one was a secret, no one knew about it until after Galaxy Garrison released the documents on him right after the Fleet of Doom incident. Vehicle Voltron was also supposed to be sentient but unfortunately, the Drules started their attacks on Earth outposts. They needed him before he was completed." "The Lion Voltron came afterward, when Zarkon started his attacks on Arus. "Lion Voltron was a breakthrough in Artificial Intelligence. The system was more advanced and timing was exceptionally fast compared to the more complex system put in Vehicle Voltron…or so it was said." Coran concluded. Allura looked at both books, "That explains why our Voltron came with a larger user manual." Allura said with a wry smile as she compared the two books side by side. Coran ignored the comment. "Now all we have to do is to figure out how to open them," he said. Just as soon as Coran had said it, Allura took a step. The locks unfastened on both books. A beep was heard. Allura looked down, she had broken the laser beam path. Another door behind her opened. Florescent lights blinked on one after another. Inside, the next room was wide and cylindrical, its walls made of a shiny stainless metal. Allura and Coran were dumbfounded. As they walked into this room, they approached a railing. After the railing was a deep pit lined with all sorts of mechanical gadgets and hydraulic arms with more gadgets at the ends of them.

"I believe we have found the construction bay." Coran said in amazement as he looked around the metal lined room. Many lights on the other side blinked all types of different colors. Many computer terminals were ready for their next commands. "This was where both Voltrons were built,… and it is still in working order!" Coran said excitedly, "Your father was a genius." Coran looked to one wall and saw a large red lever. He walked over and pulled on it immediately the ceiling opened up to reveal water rushing toward but not at them along the sides of the opening.

"We are underneath the lake." Allura exclaimed as the ceiling finished opening.

"And this is how Voltron was able to enter this room." Coran confirmed.

The Princess was still holding one of the books in her hands. She opened it up to see all the drawings and formulas and equations and other notes as well as very descriptive essays on "how this works." There were many things she didn't know like the fact that Vehicle Voltron was only utilizing half of his total database capacity because of "AI incompatibilities that were never fixed," as Alfor had noted on that page of the manual. "We must tell Keith and the others!" Allura said.

"Yes I agree, the sooner we get Voltron restored, the faster we can get rid of Haggars' prowling spirits." Coran said.

Meanwhile, on the bridge of the SS Explorer, the crew is struggling to keep control of the ship. The ship starts to shake again.

"Captain, we have just lost the mess hall!" The Helmsman said as Captain Newley was struggling to get into the tactical post he fell once got up and seated himself.

"We've got trouble!" Captain Newley shouted over the rumbling. "There is a large object heading toward us at a high velocity! It looks to be a robeast! We need to get out of here now!" The Captain turned to the Helmsman. "No can do, the engines are down! We're sitting ducks!" The Commander entered. "What the hell is going on!" The Commander yelled.

"There's a robeast out there, It caught us by surprise." The Captain shouted, "We need to get Voltron out there, Now!" Conduit piping, and wiring were falling out of the ceiling. A fire was starting off to the Helmsman's side. The Commander staggered to the com-link. "Voltron Force ready for launch, Jeff?" the Commander yelled.

"We're ready, Commander!" Jeff said over the link.

"Well then go! Can't you see we're under attack!" The Commander yelled again.

"All right, All right! We're going!" Jeff said in astonishment.

Inside Vehicle Voltron, Jeff was reading his scanners. "Okay, the robeast will be off to the port side of the Explorer, we have to intercept it before it can do more damage." Jeff said to the crew of fifteen. They all turned back toward the Explorer and the see a horrific sight.

"Do you see that?" Lisa said. They were looking at absolutely nothing. Nothing was actually cutting off chunks of the Explorer's hull.

"Commander, It just looks like the hull is coming apart." Jeff said amazed at what he was seeing.

"There's a robeast out there, we have it on our scanners." The Commander yelled over the link Jeff could hear the sounds of the ship being ripped apart by whatever it was while the Commander shouted into the communicator."

"So, Vehicle Voltron has come to play." A voice was heard from out of no where.

"This robeast must be invisible," Jeff said, "But we can make quick work of that,… ready to form Voltron!"

"Activate interlock!"

"Dynatherms, connected!"

"Infracells up!"

"Megathrusters are go!" Jeff commanded.

"LET'S GO VOLTRON FORCE!" they all shouted.

All the fifteen vehicle ships started to combine themselves together at Jeff's continued commands.

"Form feet and legs,…" The commands were executed.

"Form arms and torso,…"

"And I'll form, the head!" At Jeff's command his ship connected to the rest of the mighty robot. Then the final ship, the VT Falcon Fighter, connected itself to Voltron. Voltron then went through his "start-up, karate-like actions."  
"All right, let's do a multi-scanner sweep of this area. I want to be able to see this robeast. Jeff commanded.

"I'm not picking up anything on infrared or ultra-violet." Cliff said.

"I can't find it with radio and thermograph frequencies either. Krik added.

"We have to pick up on it somehow!" Jeff wondered.

"I've got it!" Chip shouted, "Turn all your scanners on to sonic wide band."

They all did so and found a very red and yellow blob in a blue and black background.

"We've got it now! Form Blazing S…" before Jeff could finish his command, there was a tremendous jolt off to one side, soon he heard Chip and Marvin yelling. The control panel in front of Jeff sparked and caught fire. Jeff rushed to put the small blaze out with a mini-fire extinguisher. Jeff then heard Lisa gasp.

"Oh my God! Chip and Marvin have been severed!" Lisa exclaimed. Jeff looked off to the side and saw the two connected ships that made up one of Voltron's arms rotating away from them, the severed joint was making sparks. The sonic wide band scanner blinked red and yellow several times more.

"Chip! Marvin! Are you guys okay?" Jeff yelled. He didn't get a response. "Answer me!" Jeff yelled again now almost at a panic. Several more jolts were felt throughout Voltron's frame. Jeff heard Cliff curse as his controls shorted out. There were dents and twisted metal on the frame and Jeff was now having a hard time keeping Voltron straight. "We're here," Marvin said, "But Chip was hurt badly, he needs help!"

Jeff listened to these words and then heard the Commander over the link, "Jeff! What's going on out there?" He noticed that the blob was moving toward the Explorer again.

"Commander! Look out!" The blob impacted the Explorer with a tremendous force a large explosion rocked throughout the ship. But it still remained.

On the Explorer, sirens went off and large flashes of light and clouds of smoke filled the bridge. "Sir, There is extensive damage to the fusion reactor, it's going critical!" Ensign Sparks shouted over all the noise. The panel that Newley was working at exploded in his face. Newley was thrown to the ground unconscious.

"Newley?" Hawkins shouted. There was no response, and the commander was too busy to check on him. "We have to get the reactor stabilized." Hawkins shouted. "Sparks, cut all power from the reactor."

"But, Sir, the robeast?" Sparks shouted.

"We still have Voltron…" Hawkins said. "…cut the power now!"

Back outside the Explorer…

"Jeff we have to go get Chip and Marvin!" Rocky yelled. For Jeff seconds ticked by in an eternity as he decided what to do.

"We have to save the Explorer." Jeff commanded.

"But, we can't just,…" Rocky was interrupted.

"We have to! Chip and Marvin have to wait, there are more people on the Explorer." Jeff said with frustration in his voice.

"You're just going to let them,…" Rocky was interrupted again.

"Cool it Rocky! Let Jeff do what he has to!" Lisa screamed.

Vehicle Voltron flew around to the back of the Explorer and started to push. While on the Explorer, The Commander was trying the sonic wide band scan, when he saw the figure moving towards the ship. The Commander was waiting, He pushed a few buttons and the Explorers side lasers were mounted and powering up.

"Come on! Just try to hit this ship one more time!" The Commander charged the weapons to 160 of its full power capacity. He had the lasers tightly focus on the red and yellow blob heading towards him he felt the nudge that Voltron made as he was about to fire, not loosing hope that the lasers would hit the target he pushed the button to fire. In an instant all the guns fire a continuous barrage of thin but powerful laser lights. He heard an explosion outside, and soon he was relieved to see the red and yellow blob shrink as it moved away. He stopped the firing lasers and sank back into the tactical chair. He went back to the com-link, "Jeff can you hear me?"Hawkins asked worried that they were lost in the battle, there was no response for a while. "Reading you loud but not so clearly, Commander." Hawkins was relieved again. "Are you all okay?"

"No sir, Chip and Marvin are missing, we have to go find them." Jeff said. The commander breathed a sigh of exhaustion and worry. Losing members of the crew were bad enough.

"How much damage has Voltron sustained?" the Commander inquired.

Jeff looked at his smoking control board and charred flight controls. Jeff had to tell the Commander the truth.

"Voltron has sustained extensive damage, my flight controls are nearly burnt to a frazzle and we are,… sing,… rm,…"

"Jeff repeat that again you're breaking up." Hawkins said.

"…. Lost, fli,…ntrol, I can't,… Voltr,…" There was a loud crack over the link.

"Jeff come in! I can't read you, come in!" The Commander yelled into the link. Hawkins the pushed some more buttons to call up the rear view scanner, he saw a badly damaged Voltron going into a flat, forward roll. The black void was starting to lift, revealing a large planet very close to them. The Explorer was jolted once more. More sirens and red lights sounded and flashed respectively. "Sir we have just entered a planet's atmosphere, it just appeared out of nowhere!" Both Voltron and the Explorer were caught in the planet's gravitational pull.

"What!" Hawkins said as he saw the planet in front of him get larger and larger.

At the Castle of Lions, the Voltron Force was in the recreation room, talking about recent events.

"I don't think Haggar is faking this one," Keith said, "I've never seen Haggar act so weak before."

"Maybe it is an act. We might be getting ourselves caught in a sneaky trap by Zarkon." Hunk muttered with suspicion.

"I must admit, even I'm confused on this one." Lance stated, "It has been a long time since we had defeated them. Do you think that Haggar would actually turn good?"

"I still remember that time I saw Haggar split into the two entities she is today, I say that she is being honest with us this time. Keith concluded.

The Princess burst through the rec. room door all excited. "Keith! You won't believe this, but we have found Voltron's manual and repair bay!" Allura gasped exhausted from her running. "We can now bring Voltron back to his original self again."

"Who said Voltron was broken?" Pidge inquired with an equal look of confusion to match.

"He's not broken, he can now operate under his own power once Haggar has lifted the curse she put on him." Allura exclaimed. Coran entered the room. "She is right, Keith. Voltron was originally meant to be sentient," he verified.

"Hey! Was Voltron originally able to talk too? Pidge asked.

"Yes, he was. Soon he will be able to do these things again. " Coran said.

"What about us?" Lance spoke up, "If Voltron can operate himself, he won't need us."

"On the contrary, Voltron, if my memory serves me right, always preferred the Voltron Force to be with him, just in case of an emergency That was the reason the Voltron Force was created." Coran replied.

"Well it's good to know we won't be left out." Hunk said.

"Okay, if Haggar's going to release the curse on Voltron, let her do it." Keith said. Just then, all the castle alarms went off.

"What the,…" Lance shouted as he was sitting in a chair right underneath one of the alarms. He jumped out of his chair and nearly fell forward when it went off. They all ran to the Control Room and looked at the monitor already showing two objects entering the Arusian atmosphere. Immediately Keith recognized at least one figure but he wanted to be sure.

"Coran, magnify the spinning figure on the left." Keith commanded. Coran pushed a few buttons and to Keith's dismay he now recognized it clearly.

"That's Vehicle Voltron!" The Princess gasped. "They're out of control, they'll crash!"

"That Voltron is missing an arm," Pidge exclaimed. "Oh No! Chip!"

"That's not the worst of it," Coran said, "The other ship is the SS Explorer. They are both in trouble."

"And we have enough time to save only one." Lance added.

"Pidge, I know this is going to be hard, but there are more lives at stake on the Explorer. We will have to save that one." Keith said solemnly.

"But what about,…"

"Pidge, there's no time!" Keith said, "Let's get to the lions!"

And so the Lion Voltron Force went into action, scrambling to their transport tubes. And soon the lions were on their way as the morning sun started to grace the land with its light. At the Castle, Old Haggar was still asleep, her eyes then opened, she got up slowly and looked out her window, she saw a glint of light in the sky moving downward. "The boy is dying,…" she thought. Old Haggar quickly got up and went to search for young Haggar. As Old Haggar waked out of her room to find young Haggar waiting for her.

"We need to combine our magic powers for this one, it's an emergency." Young Haggar said. "I know, I also know that the boy in the Vehicle Voltron Force is close to dying." Haggar added, "We need to work fast!"

As they both exited to the back of the castle, the Lion Voltron Force had surrounded the Explorer and moved in underneath to support the falling ship by means of a five lion piggyback "We're in position." Allura said.

"All right, fire retro-rockets, we need to slow this thing down." Keith commanded. All the lions, fired their rockets and the upward thrust was enough to slow the descent of the large spaceship.

"It's working!" Lance said. "The ship is slowing down."

While that was happening, Vehicle Voltron was plummeting towards the ground at terminal velocity. "There is nothing we can do now!" Cliff shouted over the link. "Everyone BAIL!"

Lisa was struggling to find the seat ejection lever that was supposed to be at her left side. It was still there but bent outward from her seat. The other members of the Vehicle Voltron Force had ejected. Lisa heard Cliff over the temporary com-link for all the seats.

"Tangor, clear!" "Rocky, clear!" "Shannon, clear!" "Cinda, clear!" All of the Voltron force reported their safe status to the commanders, all except for one. "I think I'm gonna be sick!" shouted Ginger as her seat tumbled in the air end over end.

"Lisa! Jeff! Ge'out of there!" Cliff yelled. Lisa was still pulling on the ejection lever but since it was bent outward she had virtually no leverage on it. She wanted to see if Jeff made it out safely.

"Jeff, Have you ejected yet?" Lisa asked hoping he had made it out.

"Lisa! What are you still doing down there?" Jeff yelled, "Get out of there now!"

"I'm trying but the ejection lever is bent." As Lisa said this she started banging on it. It moved halfway to release position. Parts of the outside of Jeff's ship were coming off. Jeff tried his ejection lever after he cleared some debris from the control board to try to regain control of Voltron. The only problem was there was no lever to try. It must have come off when they were in battle.

"Lisa! Get out of there!" Jeff yelled. "I can't eject! Save yourself!"

Lisa heard this and she couldn't believe it. "What do you mean you can't eject!" She shouted over a sudden rush of air that was now coming into the inside of her ship. Vehicle Voltron was so damaged that he was breaking up in the atmosphere.

"What do'ya mean ya can't eject!" Cliff repeated Lisa. "Get your ass out of there before ya bloody crash!"

"I lost the release lever!" Jeff said, There's nothing I can do, now go Lisa!"

Of all the jokes she's endured from him, and all the bad things he says sometimes, this was the worst. "I'm not leaving you Jeff!" Lisa replied stubbornly.

"Lisa! Have you gone mad?" Cliff shouted over the link.

"Lisa I'm serious! You have to eject! That's an order!" Jeff commanded frustratingly.

"But,… Jeff, I can't leave you to die!" tears were staring from her eyes.

"I don't want you to die either, you have to go, now!" Jeff said trying to put some sense into her. "Please!" Jeff said finally, and for a minute there was silence and then Lisa returned to working on the lever. A few more bangs on it and it would release the seat, leaving her beloved Jeff behind. Cliff and the others were flying below them with crossed fingers, hopefully at least one would be safe. Lisa banged on the lever once more and soon, before she could say anything more to Jeff, she was in the air. Her seat was flipping end over end nauseatingly. Jeff sat in his chair waiting for the crash he was comforted to see that Lisa had evacuated safely. All of a sudden there was a bright light in front of him.

"Do not worry, look into my eyes and you will not be harmed." The light said, soothing and warm. Jeff looked into the eyes of what looked like a beautiful goddess. A brighter flash and then total darkness…

Soon after Lisa had ejected her chute opened giving her full view of Jeff's ship as it broke away from Voltron just before the robot crashed and flipped several times with about 40 yards between them on the grassy, rolling plains. Smoke inundated the whole scene as she saw Jeff's ship a twisted and mangled mess.

"Jeff!" she screamed. Lisa's cries could be heard in their helmets and some bowed their heads in memory as she cried, others could only watch as the smoke rose from Vehicle Voltron. Lisa looked out as she slowly descended, the Explorer was being lowered by five robot lions into a nearby lake. Lisa, for a moment, was snapped out of her sorrow. "We're on Arus?"

Cliff looked up at the sound of Lisa's voice to see what she was seeing and sure enough, the sight of the robot lions told them they were on Arus The Lion Voltron Force after setting the Explorer in a nearby lake noticed the explosion. They also noticed the 12 floating dots in the sky.

"Oh no! One of them must not have evacuated in time." Lance said.

"Where are the other two ships?" Pidge asked worried about his brother.

Commander Hawkins looked out at the rising smoke and pounded his fist hard onto the Tactical control panel in frustration. He saw the robot lions head toward 12 floating dots in the sky. The Commander tried to contact them but the link was dead. Immediately the Commander went to try and evacuate as many people as possible from the Explorer. Captain Newley was also getting up rubbing his head.

"Ow,… What happened?" Newley said as he struggled to his feet rising like a swamp monster out of a heap of metal and circutry. Newley looked around to see the bridge in a shambles.

"Oh, that ro-beast happened." Newley said.

"We had better check the ship, there may be people trying to get out." Hawkins said. They both left the bridge and proceeded to search the ship. As Captain Newley walked he couldn't help but wonder where the armada disappeared to. He walked by one of the outer windows and saw the column of smoke rising in the distance. Then it hit him, he knew what happened. Captain Newly stood there for a while, and then proceeded with the evacuation All of the Vehicle Force Team (or whoever was left) had safely landed. They all gathered and watched the smoldering Vehicle Voltron, the lion ships landed behind them. They exited and walked to the group solemnly gathered together. The Princess could only try to hold her sorrow back as well as the rest. As they approached, they were greeted whole-heartedly.

"Keith, It's so good to see you and the Lion Force again." Lisa said as she approached him everyone could tell she was very distraught, they had to admit she was now trying hard to maintain her senses. A noise could be heard from far away, it sounded like the sirens of emergency vehicles coming closer. Within a few minutes they were on the scene and immediately putting out the fires on the remains Vehicle Voltron. Tangor was still staring at the destruction in front of him intently watching for something. Ginger after about a few minutes joined him. She and Jeff were the only ones who really knew him well. "He's still alive." Tangor said through gritted teeth and with clenched fists.

"Easy, big fella, Ginger said trying to comfort him. "There's nothing we can do."

"I KNOW JEFF! HE CAN'T BE DEAD!" Tangor snapped. Ginger could only stare at him amazed. Tangor shook his head to clear his mind.

"Listen, Ginger, I'm sorry,…" Tangor apologized.

"No, there's no need. I know how it feels to lose a good friend." Ginger said.

"No,… he was like a brother to me," Tangor said, "He helped me through the Academy when no one else would,… because I was different."

This was not like Tangor at all, Tangor never shared his thoughts with anyone too much. Ginger knew that all too well, but Ginger and Lisa were the ones anyone could talk to, for comfort in hard times. But Ginger knew that Tangor, under his threatening large and muscular frame and gruff exterior was very kind and noble.

"Jeff was constantly defending me from those who didn't like me,… only because I was a Drule. I went through Academy training, and I wouldn't be here now if it weren't for Jeff." Tangor continued, "I promised him that I would return the favor for all he has done for me. I never got the chance,… I've failed him."

"Don't beat yourself up like that, Tangor." Ginger said, "It will only hurt more."

"And so it should." Tangor muttered gruffly.

"No, it shouldn't." Ginger said being very brave to stand up to Tangor, "And I'll make sure I make you know that!" Ginger concluded somewhat comically standing nose to nose with Tangor as if she wanted to fight. Tangor had to bend his head downward even more to see her. Tangor could only smile at this, because she would actually win this one. Tangor threw up his arms, "All right, you win. I'm happy now. Satisfied?" Tangor with faking toughness. Ginger started laughing, but suddenly stopped when Tangor went rigid.

"What's wrong Tangor?" Ginger asked.

"I hear something,…" Tangor said. Tangor looked to the place where Jeff's ship lie. He saw an arm move and a piece of wreckage pushed out of the way.

"Jeff IS alive!" Instantly Tangor ran toward the wreckage. Lisa and Krik, saw Tangor run to Jeff's ship. Lisa saw what Tangor had seen and also started running towards the wreckage. Within a few seconds Tangor was already there. The whole group was now walking toward the wreckage to see what all the commotion was about. As Lisa ran closer, She saw Tangor trying to lift a heavy metal panel off of Jeff. "Oh my God!" Lisa exclaimed as she approached. Lisa turned to the group. "We need help over here!" Lisa shouted. They all ran down to see if they could help. Lisa knelt down by Jeff. She could see clearly that Jeff was loosing blood, and was about to go unconscious.

"Jeff!… Jeff! Listen to me!" Lisa shouted at him. "You must stay awake! You hear me?"

Jeff muttered something incomprehensible. Tangor was trying hard to lift the panel but it was tied up in all the wiring strewn all over. Tangor yelled in pain as his hand grip slipped lacerating Tangor's hands. The panel almost came crashing down on both Jeff and Lisa.

"Get out of here!" Tangor exclaimed, "I don't want you hurt too."

"I have to keep Jeff awake! Or he'll die! Just be careful" Lisa said not really knowing what she said to Tangor, she just knew that she couldn't let Jeff die.

"Easier said than done." Tangor grunted as he tried to lift the panel again. The ship wobbled and looked like it was going to collapse on top of them all. All of those who were rushing to the scene stopped in their tracks. Lisa then knew what she had to do.

"Tangor! You couldn't lift this panel even if it were smaller than your hand!" Lisa said angrily, "You are probably one of the weakest aliens I've ever seen!" Lisa was hoping she could get him angry.

Now, Tangor, at this point was really getting pissed off. It had been very common for him to hear this at the Academy, and now here? You could tell he wasn't going to take it anymore.

With a loud yell Tangor gradually lifted the heavy panel off of Jeff. The thick wires tying up the panel were breaking apart one by one. The whole ship was wobbling uncontrollably. The rest of the group tried to surround the ship and prevent it from falling on top of the three.

"Somebody get me some rope! I'll see if I can try to keep it up from da back!" Rocky yelled in his distinctive East Coast accent. The

Princess immediately went back to her blue lion to get some rope.

"Hunk! Modok! I'll need some help!" Rocky commanded.

"I couldn't find any rope but managed to get this cable!" Princess said running back with some thick steel cable over her shoulder, she was having trouble carrying it but she eventually got it there. Rocky took the cable from her and examined it for a few seconds.

"Dis is even better, thanks Princess!" Rocky said. Rocky tied one end of the cable into a loop secured by two knots. "Hunk, Can ya get this around that small front wing near da nose cone?" Rocky said handing the cable to Hunk and pointing to where it was to be thrown.

"No problem!" Hunk said as he whirled the cable like a lasso over his head. Hunk threw the cable and got it to tie around the wing that was supposed to be tied onto.

"All right! Modok! Come help me pull on dis cable!" Rocky commanded, and Modok got behind Hunk and Rocky and pulled on the rope They pulled, it was a lot harder than Rocky thought it would be.

"Ay! We need some more help back here!" Rocky shouted. Keith, Krik, Hutch and Shannon came to help. Shannon took a look at the bottom of the ship.

"I think it be no good," Shannon said in a light Irish accent, "The thing's stuck in the mud. No wonder Tangor be havin' a hard time!"

"Well let us not stop trying yet." Crik said, with an accent that somewhat resembled Indian At the front of the ship Cliff was studying the structure of the ship.

"Wolo, I need you to stand here and help me hold this end straight." Cliff commanded. Wolo rushed and put all the support he could onto that part of the ship. All the rest were doing their best to hold up their end Tangor lifted as hard as he could on the panel.

"All right, Tangor! Just a little higher and Jeff will be freed!" Lisa shouted.

"I'm going to loose my grip!" Tangor managed to say.

"Hang on, Tangor!" Lisa exclaimed, "You must!"

Tangor lifted the panel as much as he could. Until, finally, Jeff was free and Lisa dragged him out. Tangor dropped the heavy steel panel and ran out as quickly as he could. The others in the front ran from the wreckage. The people in the back were about to let go Cliff ran in back of the ship, "Ok! Let it go." Cliff shouted. They released their hold on the cable and the ship came crashing down unfortunately tipping towards the majority of the group from them.

"RUN AWAY!" Cliff shouted as everyone screamed and shouted as they ran from the path of the rolling wreckage. With a final loud crash the command shuttle stabilized They all gathered toward the rest of the group. Tangor's bloody hands cleaned and wrapped in bandages. Lisa was hugging Jeff already on a stretcher. Apparently the medics that arrived had stopped the bleeding enough to keep Jeff conscious.

"Don't you ever do this to me again! Ever!" Lisa cried, and did not let go of Jeff for a while. All of the people in the group started to applaud.

Ginger ran to Tangor, "Oh! That was so brave of you!" Ginger leapt up in front of Tangor and kissed him. Then she giggled afterward as Tangor's face started to turn a light shade of purple. They both stared at each other for a while. Then Ginger jumped up and down happily and ran toward the rest of the group. Tangor just stood there.

"Ay Tangor," Cliff said as he approached Tangor. It was obvious that Cliff saw the whole thing. "I think she's got the 'ots for ya."

Tangor walked away toward the group ignoring that Cliff said anything. Tangor was still watching Ginger.

The group was split up into five groups, one group of three and four groups of two. Lisa and Jeff were already riding back to the Castle of Lions in an ambulance. The rest got to ride in the lions since they had no other means of transport now. Tangor sat in the blue lion with the Princess, he was alone until Ginger boarded.

"Well," Ginger said smiling ear to ear, "We meet again." The Princess greeted herself to Tangor since she never really got a formal introduction. Tangor bowed his head to honor a royal person.

"Oh, Tangor there's no need for that, I am only a regular person like anyone else." Allura said. Just then Cinda boarded the blue lion. The com-link between the lions was on so they knew who was on what lion, so they didn't leave anyone behind. Marvin spoke up over the link.

"Hey, how come Tangor gets all the women?"

"Because Tangor is big and strong and heroic." The women giggled as Ginger said this quite sensuously. Tangor couldn't help a smirk of confidence. Soon all the women in the blue lion looked at Tangor and then they looked at each other. The Princess shut off the link for a minute.

"Let's make a few people jealous!" The Princess said in a cunning tone of voice. Ginger and Cinda agreed. The Princess turned to Tangor and asked if he would play along. Ginger knew that Tangor wouldn't, but to her surprise, he agreed. Over the link they heard the others talking about recent events with Tangor and Ginger. The women were now commenting on how good Tangor looked. Tangor sat back and enjoyed it all. Ginger turned to Allura. "You know, Tangor is a really good masseuse too." Ginger said. "Oh, really?" Allura asked, "Tangor, my shoulders feel a little tight from carrying that cable, could you rub them for me."

"Certainly." Tangor said quietly. Tangor moved forward and stared to rub the Princess's shoulders gently.

"Wow! He really is good! I can never get a good back rub from Keith." The Princess slightly stressed. Ginger and Cinda giggled quietly. Allura accentuated that by moving the blue lion back an forth in the air. "That lucky bastard," Cliff said over the link, "I'd kill to be in Tangor's place right now." Some laughing was heard over the link.

"Princess, you are wobbling off course." Keith said. "Oh, am I,… goodness! I'm sorry Keith but I was just enjoying myself, something you  
hardly ever do." The Princess said stressing her words.

"Whoa! Keith she really got you good!" Hunk laughed.

"Cool it, Hunk!" Keith snapped. "And pay attention, we're approaching the castle!"

"I think someone's seeing the green eyed monster of envy." Lance quipped Keith was fuming, Cliff was riding with him. "Cheer up Keith, I know Ginger to play these games all the time. Cliff said. "I'm just surprised to hear that Tangor is playing along with them." They approached the lion's landing areas and were soon heading into the castle. The Princess made an announcement to them in a tour guide manner.

"Okay, people. Coran has the emergency units tending to the Explorer right now. I have just got word that everyone on the ship is all right and they should be here shortly." Allura said, along a few cheers from the group. "Right now, I'm just wondering if we can fit you all into rooms for the time being." She turned to Nanny who was now standing next to her. "Nanny, could you check on that please?" Nanny nodded and exited the room. "If any of you need anything please don't hesitate to ask me or my servants for help. In the meantime the rec. room is open for your use. Or, if you want, you can take a swim in the lake. I hope your stay on Arus will be an enjoyable one especially with all that you went through. We will also see what we can do to repair Vehicle Voltron with your help." Cliff stepped forward, "In absence of the commander, we 'umbly accept your offer."

"Good!" Allura said and they formally shook hands.

**TO BE CONTINUED,…**

* * *

VOLTRON: DEFENDER OF THE UNIVERSE and characters are the property of World Events Productions (copyright 1984,1997-2000 All rights reserved.) and Toei Animation.  



	3. Chapter 3

* * *

In back of the Castle of Lions, both Haggars are chanting to whatever spirit can help them stop the two falling spacecraft joined together as the left arm of Vehicle Voltron. For a long time they sit and chant. 

"I don't think this is working." old Haggar said to young Haggar.

"It must work, we must try!" young Haggar exclaimed.

Both Haggars concentrated very hard on trying to visualize the falling object in their heads, and then reaching out their hands they psychically grabbed onto the falling ship. Old Haggar screamed as she felt the weight of the two ships combined with the terminal velocity almost rip out her brain.

"AAGGHH,… it's too heavy!" old Haggar said.

"Don't try to pull it all by yourself! Let me help you!" Young Haggar said as she concentrated on her psychic tether that was now linked via old Haggar. All of a sudden old Haggar stood up angrily breaking her bond with the ship. She chanted and waved her wand, instantly both ships were right in front of them. Young Haggar couldn't believe it. "I told you not to use evil magic for good!" young Haggar screamed in frustration. Now those evil spirits know where you are and will be after you again!" "That's not important right now." old Haggar said quickly approaching the two damaged ships as fast as she could, "The boy has no heart beat!"  
Young Haggar could only stare at old Haggar. "Well come and help me!" old Haggar yelled.

As Nanny goes to check on the rooms, Both Haggars charge into the castle the young one holding an unconscious Chip in her arms. The old one helping Marvin hobble to a nearby seat. Marvin was half conscious at the time. "Thanks lady," Marvin said in a daze.

"Don't mention it." Old Haggar said in return. Marvin took a glance at her. "You know you got something all over your face?" Marvin said slowly.

"Um, It's a mud mask." Old Haggar said not wanting to frighten him.

"Oh, that's nice!" Marvin said and then slumped over her lap.

"We need some help over here!" Young Haggar shouted. Nanny ran to her seeing Chip severely hurt.

"Goodness!… He'll need to see Dr. Gorma right away. Follow me!" Nanny said as she picked up her skirts and ran with the young Haggar as quickly as she could to the castle infirmary.

Meanwhile in the infirmary, Lisa was sitting next to Jeff and holding his hand. Jeff was awake but almost immovable.

"Lisa why does this have to happen to me? I could, right now, be helping the others fix Vehicle Voltron!" Jeff said with frustration. Jeff tried to sit up but the amount of blood loss and the sharp stinging pain made was enough to make him extremely sick to his stomach.

"Whoa!" Jeff said practically falling over the side of the bed. Lisa and Dr. Gorma grabbed him before he could fall.

"Jeff, please calm down. You can't do anything right now until you are better. You need your rest." Lisa said.

"She's right, Jeff. You were just in a terrible accident, and until I finish all of my tests, you must stay in bed." Dr. Gorma concluded.

"Well why don't you give me a pair of crutches for now, and when you need to do another test, get that nanny of yours to track me down!" Jeff muttered. Lisa stifled a giggle. Dr. Gorma turned toward Jeff and said very simply, "It's not that simple. You may have to go in for surgery."

"Surgery?" Jeff whimpered. "For what?"

"To put a metal rod in your leg to keep it straight, repair some damaged tissue around the ribs and lower back, and you may have internal bleeding." Dr. Gorma said.

"Metal rod,… internal bleeding?" Jeff asked worriedly.

"I guarantee that if you get up from that bed, you may end up paralyzed. Dr. Gorma said, "Which reminds me, I have to take some X-rays of your neck and spinal column to check for abnormalities. You came in laying in an odd position, and that pain you felt while getting up may be a warning."

"So there is no way I'm going to be up and about anytime soon?" Jeff asked.

"I would not suggest it." Dr. Gorma replied. "You may break your neck, literally."

"Well I guess I have to stay here then." Jeff sighed.

"I'm glad you see it my way. By what I heard about the accident, I don't know how you even survived." Dr. Gorma turned and walked to a desk with a clipboard on it. He made a few scrawls and then he set it hanging on the end of Jeff's bed. A buzzer went off on a panel on the wall next to the door.

"Excuse me." Dr. Gorma said to Jeff and Lisa as he pushed a button that turned off the buzzer and left the room in a hurry. Lisa looked at Jeff, "How did you survive the crash? From what I saw first hand, it looked like you were doomed!"

"I don't know, I just remember hearing your words and then I woke up in the wrecked ship. I don't even know what it looks like now."

"Jeff, it's completely destroyed." Lisa said solemnly, "I watched the whole thing,… it was a nightmare." Tears were forming in Lisa's eyes.

"Jeff, I,… don't know what I'd do without you."

Jeff hugged Lisa for a while. "Lisa, don't think about that now. I'm still alive, and I don't plan on leaving you anytime soon." They both stared at each other for a while, and then Jeff face lit up with a smile. "At least I know you love me." Jeff said cheekily. Lisa lightly pounded Jeff's shoulder.

"Ow! Hey that hurt! That's not a way to treat a sick man!" Jeff whimpered. Lisa stuck her tongue out at Jeff and gave him the raspberries.

"You were trying to get out of here before, now you are a sick man?" Lisa turned her back on Jeff.

"Aw, come on Lisa." Jeff pleaded.

Dr. Gorma ran to the Castle infirmary's emergency room, someone had just been admitted assumed in serious condition because the buzzer sounded. As he entered, he saw a young boy with the same uniform as Jeff.

"This is Chip, isn't it?" Dr. Gorma asked the young Haggar.

"Yes! It is, and he's not breathing!" young Haggar said in one breath. Before Dr. Gorma did anything he checked Chip over quickly but carefully. He saw that Chip was bleeding from the nose. "This doesn't look good." Dr. Gorma said quietly as he motioned the nurses to hook Chip up to life support monitors.

"What?" young Haggar asked.

"Chip is bleeding from the nose, he could probably have major head trauma, or he could be suffocating. We need to get his heart beating first." Dr. Gorma said grimly.

"Is he going to live?" young Haggar asked as Dr. Gorma prepared the paddles Dr. Gorma ignored her question. "Someone please escort her out of here?" the doctor said as he started to try to resuscitate Chip. A nurse approached young Haggar and escorted her out of the emergency room.

_ A white cloud surrounded Chip as he seemed to be lifted from his own body. All of a sudden he saw a room. Then as the image__cleared, he saw himself lying on a hospital bed and nurses and doctors (or at least one doctor) scrambling to revive him. The question hit_ _Chip hard, "Am I dead?"_

_"Do not be afraid, young one." A deep but gentle voice said. The area around Chip grew dark again, and soon he found himself__confronted by images of Vehicle Voltron crashing to the ground, the effort to help Jeff escape the wreckage, and the wreckage of the SS_ _Explorer. He saw two symbols flash before his eyes. One was a symbol for Lion Voltron and the other was the symbol for Vehicle Voltron__both then changed into their corresponding swords. Between them a ghost appeared. It was a man, Chip recognized him as soon as the_ _image cleared it was King Alfor.__ Chip looked at the swords closely, he noticed prism-like lines in the gleaming reflected light of the swords especially along the edges. He noticed the sword had now become transparent. The lines were more pronounced. Then the swords disappeared and Chip did_ _understand the meaning as to what King Alfor was telling him, he didn't know why. As Chip looked intently at the swords. Suddenly an_ _image of the crashing Vehicle Voltron filled his view, he saw the head separate and crash, a black shiny object flew out from the back of the__head. Soon as the vision went dark a small light appeared in front of him. Chip felt himself being drawn toward it as the light got closer. He__started to feel pain in his head. He could see images in the light moving. The pain worsened and soon, Chip felt a tremendous jolt of pain__as he was slammed back into his body. _

Dr. Gorma sighed a large breath of relief when he saw Chip's vital signs returning. Chip was now completely immobilized from head to toe. Chip started to open his eyes.

"He's already coming to." Dr. Gorma said in amazement. Chip could see figures but they were all blurred; he didn't have his glasses on. He heard a voice and a fuzzy white and pinkish-tan thing hovered over him. "Do you know your name?" It asked, it had a human voice and by the content of the question Chip assumed it was a doctor. "My name is Chip." Chip said as he saw a bright light shine into his eyes, switching from one eye to another. Chip tried to turn his head but he couldn't move at all.

"Don't worry, you have been immobilized for your safety. I need to take some X-rays and check for other traumatic injuries, other than that, you are safe." Dr. Gorma said.

"I'd feel better if I could see clearly." Chip said.

"Okay, do you know your prescription?" Dr. Gorma asked.

"About 20/30 in my right eye and 20/85 with astigmatism in my left." Chip said.

"Are you nearsighted, or farsighted?" Dr. Gorma asked.

"Farsighted," Chip said.

Dr. Gorma took some notes and took off his glasses and looked at them.

"Oh well, here." Dr. Gorma handed his glasses to Chip. "My prescription isn't the same, but it is a close match. You can use these until your new glasses are made."

Chip put the glasses on. The view was a little warped but he could see much clearer now. "Thank you, but won't you need these?" Chip asked the Doctor.

"No, I always carry a spare pair." The doctor said as he pulled another pair from his "doctor's coat" pocket. Dr. Gorma walked over to a table and started scrawling some information on a small sheet of paper. He than handed it to one of the nurses. "Take this to the local glassmaker, tell him that it is important that he get this done as soon as possible." The nurse nodded her head and walked out of the room with the slip of paper. Dr. Gorma looked to another nurse.

"Please tell the other members of the Voltron Vehicle Force that Chip is here, but I won't let anyone see him until I diagnose him. The other nurse nodded and walked out of the room. Dr. Gorma then wave to the remaining nurses. They gathered around the gurney and pushed Chip out into the hallway. They pushed him a few feet and turned the gurney into another room with X-ray equipment. One of the nurses put a heavy lead shield over Chip except for the places where they were going to X-ray.

"Hold still while we take the pictures, okay?" the nurse said in a sort of perky tone of voice. Chip just lay there on the gurney while the X-rays were taken.

In the recreation room the other nurse appeared. "I would like your attention please,…" she yelled. Everyone went quiet. "A friend of yours by the name of Chip has just been admitted into the infirmary. We believe he is in stable condition, but Dr. Gorma has not yet made a complete diagnosis." They all looked at each other.

"When will we be able to see him?" Ginger asked the nurse.

"After Dr. Gorma makes his diagnosis." The nurse replied calmly.

"Is the little guy okay?" Rocky asked with his typical Brooklyn accent.

"We don't know for sure yet, he is being examined right now. Don't worry, you will be able to see him in a few hours." The nurse concluded and then she walked out the door. The princess had entered the room, she had also been told about Chip by Nanny. She had stayed at the castle so that she could help make arrangements to bring the Vehicle Voltron wreckage to the castle for repairs. It seems that Lion Voltron's awakening will have to wait much to the Haggars' dismay Shannon approached the princess and bowed. "Did ya hear anythin' about th' Explorer yet?" Shannon said in his thick Irish accent.

"No, I haven't. I'm starting to get worried." Allura said calmly, "And you don't have to bow to me, I am just a regular person," she added.

"And we're just sittin' here like morons when we should be helping." Rocky said with clear agitation in his voice.

"No, you all have been through a lot today. You need some time to recover." Allura walked to a chair in front of Rocky and sat down. Rocky looked at the Princess. "Well I'm sorry if I don't feel like relaxing while someone else does all the work." Rocky's voice was calm but the anger was there. Ginger started to walk toward Rocky when he suddenly looked up at her.

"No, don't try!" Rocky almost yelled it out. Cinda was outraged by Rocky's sudden outlashing at Ginger. "Rocky, what is wrong with you? I have never seen you like this." Cinda asked with equal agitation. Rocky threw up his hands.

"You wanna know? I'll tell ya!" Rocky exclaimed. "Just sittin' here only makes me think about what will happen if we can't fix our Voltron!" Rocky was almost to the point of exploding. "But that is what I am making arrangements for, to help you rebuild your Voltron." Allura said trying to calm Rocky down. He didn't seem to listen.

"But what if you can't?" Rocky repeated, "That robot is our lives! When Voltron fought we fought! When Voltron won, we won! We are that robot! We are Voltron! Voltron is dead! We are dead!" Everyone in that room, Cinda, Ginger, Cliff, Shannon, Wolo, Krik, Tangor, Modok, Hutch, Zandee, and Allura all gasped at the depth of Rocky's thought.

"Death is only in your point of view." Krik said wisely. "In mine it is a new beginning. Allura leaned closer to Rocky, "That is what is keeping all of you together, your common memories. Don't let that go."

"I don't want to!" Rocky exclaimed everyone could feel the pain in his voice. "But,…"

"But, nothing!" Hutch interrupted. "Just because Voltron is not working right now doesn't mean the end of the team. Rocky thought of this a while. "I'm sorry guys, I'm just don't know what will happen if it should happen."

"Well then don't think abou' it, mate." Cliff said with his heavy Australian accent. "I guarantee, that Voltron will die only over my dead body!" As Cliff said this, he stood up.

"And mine!" Ginger stood up.

"And mine!" Tangor stood up.

"And mine!" Krik stood up.

"And mine!" Cinda stood up.

They all stood up, even Allura, except Rocky who was still listening.

"Hey Rocky, if ya want'a join us, you bet'er stand up." Cliff said jokingly.

Rocky shook his head and stood up. They all cheered his decision to join them. they all formed a circle and put their hands together in the center, like a team. They lifted their hands on the count of three shouting "GO VOLTRON!"

"You know the best thing about this is?" Krik asked them all, "It is harder to stop fifteen people than it is to stop one!"

"Too right!" Cliff shouted. They all laughed.

In the dark depths of space a planet of evil orbits a nearby star. This is Planet Doom. The barren plains and desert-like atmosphere give the vision of a desolate and lifeless planet. But, the ruins of a dark castle stand amongst the barren plains. Castle Doom, and the home of Zarkon. The castle has changed, no longer does it have the golden throne room, and no longer does it have the defenses it used to. It had all been destroyed a while ago. A ship lands next to the castle. It is quite small and it is very quick, but it seems to be some sort of escape pod. A figure is seen exiting the pod, upon closer inspection, it is Zarkon himself. No longer does Zarkon wear his crown and he is dressed rather plainly. Quite a surprise for someone who used to be King of at least half the universe. Zarkon is old and he has trouble walking amongst the old ruins. He starts to wheeze, and he falls to the ground recalling his last fight,… with his son, Lotor. Zarkon remembered that Lotor had gathered together a large fleet of ships, he conquered many lands that Zarkon used to own. And then, Lotor had conquered Zarkon's waning forces and soon, Zarkon fell to his son. In this time Zarkon had even considered asking Voltron to help him. But, he knew they wouldn't believe him nor would they care. Besides, calling upon Voltron would show weakness. He did not want Lotor to think he was weak, but since Lotor, his own son, had conquered him, he was now on the verge of dying. Zarkon watched his life pass before his eyes. His last words before he drew his final breath were "I will return,… more powerful than both Voltrons combined." With that Zarkon died.

_ Zarkon's vision was soon filled by the sight of a dark cloud. A voice was soon heard laughing at him. The dark cloud quickly surrounded him. The voice was very recognizable, soon visions of Vehicle Voltron crashing onto planet Arus were seen vividly. Zarkon stared in wonder at these sights. All he could think about was that he was dealing with a powerful entity of some sort._  
_"Do you wish to see the same happen to Lion Voltron and your son?" the Voice said. A glowing yellow eye confronted Zarkon. The voice was so familiar to him yet he could not figure out where he heard it from. The yellow eyes disappeared, leaving Zarkon in almost total_ _darkness._

_"Well?" the voice said with anger, still very familiar._

_"Yes, I would do anything to see those two nuisances destroyed!" Zarkon replied, "But, I want to know who you are."_

_"Why Zarkon, don't you recognize me?" the voice said with an accentuated malice. "I was hoping that you would remember me, here let_ _me help you jog that old brain of yours!" A massive charge of electricity jumped into Zarkon's head, the voice laughing as Zarkon cried out_ _in pain. But, more images came into view, then the answer was all too clear as the clouds formed themselves into a face. The yellow eye_ _came into view along with a circular red one next to it._

_"Yurak?" Zarkon gasped._

_"Finally you figure it out!" Yurak said mockingly._

_"How did you,… What the,…" Zarkon was at a loss for words._

_"That old witch Haggar as become good." Yurak said with disgust. "All her evil creations that she made are coming back to haunt her,_ _even the evil Voltron she made." As Yurak said this his face changed to match that of the evil Voltron._

_"No, No! Please,… don't let me see that image again!" Zarkon yelled in fear. "I've suffered enough from that blasted robot!"_

_"Didn't Haggar turn you into a robeast too?" Yurak asked._

_"Yes, but I managed to escape,…" Zarkon said tiredly, "only to let my son kick my ass throughout the universe."_

_"Then join us, help us destroy them all!" Yurak yelled. Soon the faces of the other robeasts came into view. Along with the evil Voltron_ _which now began to talk to him._

_"I know when we will attack, and that time is soon all Haggar needs to do is to release the curse from Voltron. Then Voltron is ours to__destroy." The evil Voltron said._

_"Oh? And how do you think you are going to do that?" Zarkon asked. The evil Voltron's eyes went bright red. "Look at me! I just happen to look like Voltron, you didn't notice?" The evil Voltron yelled. "I know many secrets to Voltron, even the robot's worst nightmare!"_

_"I've heard that before, it's a crock of shit if you ask me." Zarkon said bluntly._

_"Power is not just a imaginary dream, Zarkon." Yurak said surprised at Zarkon's naieveness. "Power is everything. And by joining us you will have access to great power!"_

_"Sounds like a cheap advertisement to me." Zarkon said. "I may be evil, but I'm not stupid. How do I know that I am actually talking to_ _Yurak and not some being who takes over others consciousness?"_

_"I don't understand," Yurak said, "All the power of the universe is at your fingertips and you refuse it?"_

_"I want to be able to conquer the universe by my own means. That is how I've always achieved my goals, not by some quick fix." Zarkon_ _said, "If there's anything that I've learned over the years, it is to never trust anyone. They always let you down, no matter how much power_ _they have."_

_"Have you gone nuts?" Yurak asked in outrage. "I practically gave everything for this power!"_

_"That is exactly why I am not." Zarkon said flatly, "I don't want to give anything to anyone. I want everything to operate in my convenience. I want great power and the ability to keep it! When your power goes, you will have nothing since you gave everything, what will you do then?"_

_"Zarkon, you're naive! This is ultimate power! This is eternal." Yurak yelled._

_"I don't believe you, It's all nonsense, Yurak!" Zarkon yelled back bravely, "Haven't I taught you anything? And yet you were probably the first one to__jump at the chance for this,… this, ultimate power! I don't believe you!"_

_"And how many times have you believed Haggar?" Yurak asked mockingly._

_"Yes, I admit, I have fallen for Haggar's promises that were never kept. But I realized afterward that Haggar is all smoke, mirrors and full of shit!"__ Yurak started laughing. Zarkon looked at Yurak oddly. "What's so damn funny?"_

_"Since we both agree that Haggar and the rest are a nuisance, you are still useful." Yurak said, "I will give you back your youth and your_ _castle. You drive a hard bargain, but the knowledge you carry can be useful to us. Consider this a trial period. We will be back with your_ _answer later. We must go." _

The cloud disappeared quickly, leaving Zarkon on the planet. Zarkon looked up and off to his left and he could see that his castle was rebuilt the way it was before and quite possibly with a few changes. Zarkon then looked at himself. He was alive, and as young as he was just a few years after he left the Drule Academy He was stronger and more aware of his surroundings. Zarkon could only wonder what could make Yurak and "that entity" leave so quickly leaving him with an advantage. Zarkon walked into his rebuilt castle laughing maniacally. Zarkon had gotten what he wanted, with literally no strings attached. Zarkon then knew that he was too important for them to go and kill him. Yurak was a born idiot! When Zarkon walked in the front gates of his new Castle Doom, he saw all of his robot soldiers awaiting his commands. And now that he thought of it, Zarkon's first order of business was to teach his ungrateful son who was boss.

The castle recreation room was still inhabited by the Voltron Vehicle Force, by now they were all bored to death for not having anything to do, or they were anxiously waiting for the People from the Explorer to get to the castle. Allura had left the room to make further arrangements. The boredom was interrupted by Marvin who was now a little more aware of where he was as he hobbled into the rec. room helped by Nanny. Ginger was the first to jump up out of her seat almost knocking it backwards, to help. "Marvin! You're okay!" Ginger shouted happily. The whole team stood up and watched Marvin approach them slowly. "Yes, Ginger, I'm okay. There's no need to make a big fuss about it."

"What happened to you?" Cliff asked in concern.

"The last thing I remember was being helped in by some lady with a mud mask on." Marvin said coning out of his daze. Marvin sat down in an available chair. He groaned as he put up his right foot on the table in front of him. It was covered in bandaging.

"What did you do to yourself?" Cinda asked.

"Oh, it's just a sprained ankle." Marvin replied, "It will be okay in a few days."

"Mud mask?" Cliff asked, "Are ya sure you're okay, mate?" "I don't know." Marvin said, "Chip was carried in, and everyone was rushing about. Other than that, the rest is all fuzzy."

"That's okay, Marvin. We all have been through a lot this morning." Ginger said comfortingly.

"Hey! I recognize this place." Marvin said enlightened. "Did we actually crash on Arus?"

"Yeah, we did." Hutch said with a laugh, "Isn't that a coincidence?"

Princess Allura appeared in the doorway. "Keith and the others are returning with a caravan of people from the Explorer now. They will be here in about 5 minutes." Allura then plopped down unladylike on a remaining available chair and sighed. "I've been up all morning."

The Voltron Vehicle Force thought nothing of her unladylike motion of sitting down. "We know what you mean Allura." Ginger said yawning.

"Oh, No. Don't do that, you'll get the rest of us yawning." Cinda said.

"Well I'm not tired." Hutch said, "Is there a TV or something in here?"

"No, I haven't given any authorization for TV." The princess answered. "Who knows what Zarkon will find out from it."

The castle PA system activated, Coran was on the other end. "Your highness, the Voltron force has returned along with some of the Explorer crew."

"I will be there in a minute." Allura said, and she then got up again after only two minutes of sitting and started to walk out of the rec. room.

"Pret'y busy today, eh Allura?" Cliff asked. Allura sighed, she felt like she had been run ragged all day. "Yes Cliff, one of the busiest."

"Well, I'm not sittin' 'ere all day, the Captain and Commander would be pret'y ticked if they saw us doing nothing. I'm coming with you." Cliff said, "I want to see what is goin' on with the clean-up efforts." They both left the rec. room. After that all the Voltron Force got up and went their separate ways for a while most of them going to the infirmary to check on Jeff and Chip.

In the castle Control Room, Captain Newly was getting pretty upset about the whole situation. The whole morning has turned out to be a six hour disaster. The sun was up and they were still preparing to go and clean up the crash site. The worst thing though was that upon an aerial viewing of the site, he found that there was a lot to do. Especially when ground crews could not find Vehicle Voltron's master cylinder.

"That thing could be miles from the crash site." Newly said raising his voice angrily at Keith as they both entered. They had to go the long way because the tubes could only accommodate one person. "Well don't yell at me! I don't know there it is!" Keith shouted back. They both paused and realized that they were yelling at each other and stopped immediately. "I'm sorry Keith, this whole morning has been hell!" Newly said frustratedly but with more calm this time.

"I'll tell Coran about the situation, in the mean time we can start the clean up,…" Keith replied.

"We can't yet," Newly interrupted, "That master cylinder is delicate equipment, the brain of Voltron. If it gets damaged, there is no way we will be able to repair the system. We have to find the cylinder first!"

"Does the Commander know what it looks like?" Keith asked.

"He should." Newly replied. Keith then went to the control panel where Coran was standing. "Red Lion, do you read me."

"Loud and clear! What's up?" Lance said over the com-link

"Is the commander with you?" Keith asked

"Nope, he's surveying the crash site with Pidge. I'm helping the crew evacuate the ship." Lance said. Keith pushed a button and depressed another one. "Pidge, do you read me?" "Right here, Keith." Pidge replied over the com-link.

"Captain Newly has just said that ground crews can't find a 'master cylinder' you'll need to go into a wider search pattern around the site." Keith reported with an executive tone. "Will do." Pidge turned to the Commander, "Do you know what the master cylinder looks like?"

"Well it's a shiny black box that is about 4 feet high. It is wide, and it has a big plug on one side and it should have a number printed in white on top of it." The Commander said trying to recall specifications. "I would start around Voltron's head. That is where it was supposed to be." Pidge flew over the head ship of Vehicle Voltron, the commander studied the way it was lying as they passed by. "Pidge get a view of the ground just off to the right of us." Hawkins commanded. "Did you see something?" Pidge asked,

"I thought I did." Hawkins said rubbing his chin. In a short while they would both notice a bright spot on the viewscreen, a reflection of the sun in a far off to the right next to a ravine. "What is that?" Pidge asked.

"It may be what we're looking for. Take us down, and we'll go have a look." the Commander ordered, trying not to sound to overbearing Pidge set the Green Lion down next to the ravine where they last saw the glint of light. The Commander exited first and quickly approached a large shiny black boxlike object on the edge of the ravine. It was big, but it looked small enough for the Green Lion to carry without extra help. The Commander stopped right in front of the object Pidge was catching up to him.

"This is it!" the Commander called back. He took a look at the outside casing of the master cylinder. Just why it was called a cylinder was beyond Pidge, even though he knew a lot about computers. "SHIT!" Hawkins yelled frustratedly.

"What's wrong?" Pidge shouted running toward the Commander. Pidge saw the problem as soon as he got there. The master cylinder had a hole on its left side. The media inside may have been damaged.

"Do you think it can be fixed?" Pidge asked.

"I'm not worried about that, I'm worried about if the operating system will be located in the bad media." Hawkins said solemnly.

"There are ways you can retrieve most of the bad media." Pidge said trying to cheer thing up a bit.

"I don't know the damage is extensive." Hawkins said looking at the hole he could see the inside of it, and looked at it in wonder. It wasn't a disk at all, it was a filling with tiny metal wires in it. Millions and millions of tiny wires extending from top to bottom in little sections of a crystalline substance.

"I've never seen the inside of Voltron's brain before." Hawkins said in wonder. Pidge looked at it also, and saw it's shape and just couldn't resist a joke. "Yeah, I guess Voltron is a "blockhead." Pidge giggled, the Commander looked at him sternly.

"One more joke like that, and you won't have a brain to make up them stupid jokes with." The Commander growled.

"I'm sorry." Pidge apologized.

"Don't be sorry, be quiet!" The Commander was staring at the master cylinder and the "block" inside, and then started laughing himself then immediately going back to rigid silence. Pidge just looked at him oddly.

"We have to get this thing out of here," the Commander said after a brief pause and looking up at the sky. "The weather doesn't look to good." Dark clouds were looming off to the west.

"I see what you mean," Pidge agreed. "I'll go get the Lion and we'll take the cylinder to the Castle. It isn't good to leave your computer in the rain."

"You'd better hurry the storm seems to be coming in fast." Hawkins shouted as Pidge ran toward the Green Lion.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

* * *

VOLTRON: DEFENDER OF THE UNIVERSE is the property of World Events Productions (copyright 1984,1997-2000 All rights reserved.) and Toei Animation.  



	4. Chapter 4

* * *

Zarkon was assembling his fleet for an attack on Arus. Lotor would learn his lesson, by the death of Princess Allura and her blasted planet. As far as Zarkon knew, there would only be one Voltron to destroy since the crash of that other one. Zarkon felt guaranteed a victory. A guard stepped into the throne room. "Sire! The battle fleet is ready for combat." 

"Excellent." Zarkon said amazed at the speed of the order. Zarkon only gave the command two hours ago. As he got up from his throne and descended the stairs, he noticed all the guards running in  
lining up and providing a path for him to follow to the main attack ship. Each soldier saluted as Zarkon passed them. "Efficiency and control," Zarkon thought, "Conquering Arus will be easier than I thought."  
A cloaked woman walked up to Zarkon. "24 of your best robeasts are awaiting your orders sire." The cloaked woman said.

"Did you just say 24 robeasts?" Zarkon asked amusedly. "What kind of trick is this?"

"Oh, no trick, I assure you." She said, "Come, Sire. Have a look for yourself." She took Zarkon by the hand and directed him to a cargo ship. Inside were 24 robeasts all in line and ready to be deployed at  
his command.

"This is unbelievable!" Zarkon shouted and then turned around to find the woman had taken off the hood of her cloak. To Zarkon she was Lotor's equivalent to Princess Allura! She had long green hair  
yet her features were humanlike. This for some reason made no difference to Zarkon at all. She was very, VERY attractive.

"You are definitely better than Haggar ever was." Zarkon said calmly.

"Is that a compliment, Zarkon?" She said, "If it was meant to be, I thank you. But don't ever compare me to Haggar again."

"A threat?" Zarkon thought, "How does she know about Haggar?"

"Beware Zarkon, I can read your mind." She said somewhat sensuously.

"This is going to be very interesting." Zarkon thought.

"I know." She said. Zarkon was not expecting the reply. The telepathy was quick. But she definitely wasn't like Queen Merla either. She dove into people's minds and sorted through their thoughts.

"Who are you?" Zarkon asked.

"My name is Zelia." She spoke to him telepathically, implanting her thought into his. She was full of surprises for Zarkon. Especially at one point, she turned on her heel and stared down at a guard forthinking something. She "turned his mind inside out" and purged any negative thoughts about Zarkon. The guard later fell to the ground and died. Zarkon was starting to have his doubts about her now. She possessed too much power, he was afraid that she would overthrow him sometime later.

"Zarkon, how can you think that way about me?" Zelia whimpered, her face showing signs of pain. "I would never do such a thing to you."

"Absolute power corrupts absolutely." Zarkon said.

"Oh Zarkon, I would do anything for you." Zelia said pleadingly, her face showed honesty.

"Oh come on Zelia!" Zarkon started, "You and I both know that an old Drule like me is bound to kick the bucket and die someday." Zelia laughed loudly. "Oh Zarkon," she said in between fits of laughter. "Have you already forgotten the change that,...Yurak made upon you." Zarkon had to remind himself again that he was not an old fogie anymore. Zelia approached him   
and embraced him.

"I never knew that Blue Drules could be so handsome" She cooed as she started to rub her hand through his white hair. Zarkon was completely taken by surprise now. This was going to be one heck of a day for him.

In the meantime both Haggars were sitting by the entrance to the infirmary chanting again, this time for the health and well being of Chip. Old Haggar was using good magic now and was trying her best  
to keep from constantly looking over her shoulder nervously and breaking the spellcasting. Old Haggar then felt a strong surge of evil flow through her, this time it made her shake in fear, for she knew that she  
would soon be tormented by the coming evil spirits. She broke the chant suddenly. Young Haggar looked at her and found out why immediately.

"They're coming!" Old Haggar whispered, "They're coming to get me!"

"I know." Young Haggar comforted, "We can survive this."

"No,… They want me dead!" Old Haggar said with solemn grimness.

"They want you kill you?" Young Haggar questioned in an unbelieving tone. "Yes,…." Old Haggar paused for a moment, "I also know why." Old Haggar then quickly stood up.

"Come! We must hurry!" Old Haggar said almost dragging Young Haggar off the chair."

"Whoa! Wait! Let me get up first!" Young Haggar said staggering to her feet while Old Haggar still pulled on her arm."

"What do we need to do?" Young Haggar asked.

"We need to get to the Control Room and call back the lions." Old Haggar said quickly, "We must revive Voltron before Yurak gets here!"

"Yurak? But he's,…"

"Dead?" Old Haggar interrupted, "not anymore."

"He's been revived?" Young Haggar couldn't believe it when she asked her.

"Along with many other robeasts of my past creation." Old Haggar confirmed.

"This is insane!" Young Haggar exclaimed.

"Zarkon's insane, Lotor's insane, Yurak's insane, Cossack's insane! Does it matter?" Old Haggar asked sharply.

"Yes, I think it does!" Young Haggar said.

"Then move your ass!" Old Haggar yelled in frustration.

"Okay! Okay! It's moving!" They both ran to the control room as quickly as they could.

Outside, Pidge was in his Green Lion, he went to pick up the large master cylinder that was the brain of Vehicle Voltron. All the while he kept a close eye on the developing storm with his scanners. When the cylinder was secure Commander Hawkins climbed into the Green Lion.

"What do you make of that storm, Pidge?" The Commander asked.

"I don't know I'm getting a lot of weird readings. One reading says that there is no precipitation in the cloud." Pidge was flipping switches and turning dials, making sure all the equipment was set correctly.

"I see a lot of lightning in that storm," the Commander said as he looked at the viewscreen. "Where is it going?"

"The storm is heading NE at 40 MPH," Pidge said, "Sounds like a typical storm to,…" The control panel started beeping. Pidge looked at it while the Commander stared at the viewscreen. He could swear that he was now seeing the storm approach them.

"It changed direction, heading due east at 70 MPH." It's heading straight for us," Pidge exclaimed.

"How can a storm just suddenly pick up speed and change direction?" Pidge took a look at the viewscreen when he received a call from the castle.

"Pidge, this is Keith do you read me?"

"Loud and clear, chief." Pidge replied. There was some fumbling with the microphone on the other end and soon Haggar's voice was on.

"Get out of there now!" Haggar shouted.

"What?" both Keith and Pidge noticed the worried look on Haggar's face. It was serious.

"That isn't a storm, it's Yurak! He is the one who destroyed Vehicle Voltron and he's out to do the same to Lion Voltron! Get out of there NOW!" Haggar was on the point of hysteria.

"We better do as she,… NNGAAAAAHHH!" The Green Lion was swept up into the winds of the storm which had more force than a tornado. The Lion went spinning out of control both Pidge and the Commander were thrown about. The master cylinder was being pulled from the lion's teeth.

"I'll take this, and destroy you all!" A voice was heard from the wind. It wasn't Yurak's voice.

"The master cylinder, we can't loose it!" Hawkins shouted.

"I'm trying but the controls are jammed!" Pidge replied.

Back at the Castle the remaining Voltron Force was called into the control room and were now watching the events unfold before them.

"We better get to the Lions and fast!" as Keith said this he grabbed a hold of the Princess. "Oh no you don't, Not this time."

"But Keith,…" Allura pleaded

"No, Princess. I can't say this enough, you have to stay here you are more important here than out there right now." Keith said calmly. "I know you like to fly the Blue Lion and I know you are good at it, but there are other people who won't be as much of a risk to this planet's safety. You must understand me." The Princess looked down and then back at Keith. "Okay, I understand." "All right Cliff, go into elevator four." "Right!" Cliff said as he jumped into the elevator and grabbed the T-bar They all went into their lions as Keith launched he contacted Lance who was still out with the survey group. "Lance come in,…"

"Keith! Pidge has been just been engulfed in this weird cloud! I can't get to him." Lance shouted.

"Be careful Lance! That's the cloud that bloody near destroyed us!" Cliff warned.

"Pidge can you hear me?" Keith shouted.

"Pidge has been knocked unconscious!" The Commander relayed. "I've lost the master cylinder! I think the cloud robeast has it!" Soon Commander Hawkins was released from the clutches of the darkcloud. The Green Lion was now falling toward the ground. Instinctively the Commander grabbed the control handles and pulled back hard. He was thrown back into the chair as the Lion made a sharp U-turn  
going straight up.

"Wow! This thing has more power than I thought." Hawkins said amazed. The rest of the lions reached the area where the dark cloud was. The dark cloud started to take shape. Pieces of Vehicle Voltron were being absorbed into it. It looked like it was putting him back together. Soon the lions were faced with a gruesome sight of a fully formed, battle damaged Vehicle Voltron. The worst part was, the robot looked evil and menacing. Half of Vehicle Voltron's face had been ripped off, along with many dents and bruises caused by the crash. Wiring was hanging out of some of the joints. Voltron looked like a robot zombie. Commander Hawkins looked at the robot in disbelief. "What the hell is going on here?" Vehicle Voltron started the attack rushing at the lions. He seemed to use all of his weaponry at once. Each lion was knocked down. Every time a lion got up they were knocked down again. Krik got on the communicator."Try to attack from all sides, Voltron cannot keep track of all of you."

"That would be a good plan,… provided we could get up to do that!" The Commander saidsarcastically. He looked up at Vehicle Voltron again and saw Keith right in front of him. A surge of energystarted to pulse around Voltron. "KEITH! LOOK OUT! HE'S GOING TO USE THE ELECTO-THERMOBLASTERS!" Keith had just heard the warning when the blast came. Measuring about one megaton, theBlack Lion was thrown a distance of two miles! Allura gasped at the sight on the control room monitor!Old Haggar screamed loudly and flew across the room, collided hard against the wall and fell to the ground. "Oh my God! She's bleeding!" Ginger screamed and tried to help her. Vehicle Voltron ran toward the Black Lion and pounded on it when he reached it. Keith was in pain as he was jostled out of the flight seat. Old Haggar convulsed with every impact that Vehicle Voltron's fists made. Vehicle Voltron stopped as soon as the Black Lion stopped moving. Then he started toward the castle. Haggar lie on the floor a battered old witch. Without another word she started chanting, she started  
at a whisper and spoke louder and louder as the entity that had possessed Vehicle Voltron drew nearer and nearer to the castle. At the end of her chant Old Haggar let out the loudest of screams that echoed  
everywhere in the castle. A white light emitted from her as she screamed. As the last bit of light exited her, her scream quieted gradually until she was deadly quiet. Coran went to check on her as she lay on the floor  
putting his hand on her neck, he felt no pulse. Old Haggar was dead. The light shot out the window toward the injured lions. All the lions absorbed the energy, Commander Hawkins saw all the controls go nuts and soon the lion just shut itself off. The same went for all the lions. Lance was fumbling with the controls. Hunk was in the air and his lion started to fall when it shut down. Cliff was still down. Keith had just woke up from a temporary unconsciousness to see all sorts of weird coding on the viewscreen. Then just as soon as the lions shut off they turned themselves back on again. All the lions reading one line on their viewscreens:

PREPARING ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM...  
EXECUTING VOLTRON FORMATION SEQUENCE... STAND BY

The viewscreens activated showing Vehicle Voltron heading toward the castle. The Black Lion's viewscreen was blinking in the corner of it. A small box was forming. As soon as it loaded up, the instructions were clear:

WAITING FOR VOICE COMMAND CLEARANCE...

Keith climbed back into his chair. "Ready to form Voltron!" he shouted.

COMMAND COMPLETE, INITIALIZING PRE-LOAD SEQUENCES...  
SYSTEM READY.

"Activate interlock!" Keith shouted instinctively. The screen followed suit by confirming.

INTERLOCK #1 ----- STAND BY  
INTERLOCK #2 ----- STAND BY  
INTERLOCK #3 ----- STAND BY  
INTERLOCK #4 ----- STAND BY

"Dynotherms connected!"

POWER SOURCE EFFICIENCY IMPROVED 350   
PROCESSOR RATE CLOCKED AT 950 THz.

"Infracells up!"

SOLAR CELL POWER INPUT ACTIVATED --------- 150055  
PREPARING REOMTE SYSTEMS FOR FORMATION.--- DONE

At this point, all the other lion ships were now reading the same thing.

DRIVE AND THRUSTER SYSTEMS TEST: --------- OK.

"Megathrusters are go!" Keith finished.

"Voltron!" they all shouted. As the lions went to merge. Keith was keeping his eye on the littl box at the corner of the screen. It seemed to tell him everything that was going on in much more detail. Then the lions merged.

ACTIVATING ELECTO-STATIC SHIELD 1870 MV  
BLACK LION FORMATION 0  
RED LION FORMATION 0  
GREEN LION FORMATION 0  
BLUE LION FORMATION 0  
YELLOW LION FORMATION 0

The percentage numbers rose quickly as each lion went into it's transformation. The other lions connected to the Black Lion. "Form feet and legs!" Keith shouted.

ANNEXING REMOTE SYSTEMS...  
INTERLOCK #3 ENGAGED   
COM 11-15 CONNECTED INPUT 1  
INTERLOCK #4 ENGAGED   
COM 16-20 CONNECTED INPUT 2

"Form arms and body!" Keith shouted.

ANNEXING REMOTE SYSTEMS...  
INTERLOCK #1 ENGAGED   
COM 1-5 CONNECTED INPUT 3  
INTERLOCK #2 ENGAGED   
COM 6-10 CONNECTED INPUT 4

"And I'll form the head!" Keith finished.

ERROR IN INPUT 5 ------------- CONTINUOUS FEED CONFLICT  
CONTINUOUS FEED SOURCE ------- UNKNOWN LOCATION   
CONTINUOUS FEED TYPE --------- DISTRESS SIGNAL  
CONTINUOUS FEED CHANNELS ----- ALL WIDE BAND FREQUENCIES  
INPUT 5 CANNOT BE SHUT DOWN! AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED - ALFOR03  
INPUT IGNORED --- WARNING! INPUT FEED MAY CAUSE SEVERE OS CONFLICTS  
SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE CHECK IS REQIRED.

OPERATING SYSTEM ACTIVATED IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE MODE.  
FORMATION COMPLETE.

LION VOLTRON AI SYSTEMS ONLINE.  
ENCODING INTERNAL SIGNALS  
ACTIVATING ADV. DEFENSE SYSTEMS   
ACTIVATING ADV. SCANNER SYSTEMS  
PREPARING PRIME AND SECONADRY DIRECTIVES: ----- AUTHORIZATION: ALFOR03

DISENGAGING ELECTRO-STATIC SHIELD

PRE-LOAD: (IMMEDIATE ACCESS)   
BLAZING SWORD  
SPINNING LASER BLADES  
SOLAR COMBAT SPEAR   
ELECTRO-FORCE CROSS  
DIAGNOSTICS

OTHER WAEPONS LOADED UPON COMMAND.

LOADING TACTICAL PLAN FILES -------- DONE.

As soon as all of the computer jargon had been said the words in the box were replaced with a 3-D lookalike of Lion Voltron's head.

"It looks like we have a major problem on our hands!" The talking head spoke using a slightly regal British accent and using facial expressions which made Voltron look more animated.

"Who's in charge?" Voltron asked. No one answered they were all gawking at the little box thinking that this wasn't really happening. Those at the castle witnessing this event were also astounded. Voltron TALKED! The Princess knew that Voltron was a sentient being, she would talk to the Black Lion on some nights hoping it would respond. She had never seen the robot act under his own power until now. Lance was the first to say something. "This,… this can't be happening!"

"I'm asking a question and I need an answer fast, Who is in charge?" Voltron said stressing the question. Keith finally spoke up, "I am."

"Great!" Voltron said with a big smile, "I was beginning to think that my creator put inexperienced people in there out of desperation. Oh, by the way, my name is Voltron if you didn't know already. We'll have to pause the introductions there."

"This is cool! This is so cool!" Hunk exclaimed.

Pidge was coming out of his unconsciousness. "Oh, What happened. Immediately Voltron went into action, and then stopped dead in his tracks.

"Hey, is that who I think it is?" Voltron asked pointing toward the castle and Vehicle Voltron. LV (Lion Voltron) noticed VV (Vehicle Voltron) try to pound the castle in. "What the hell does he think he's doing?" LV shouted.

"That's not VV, it's a robeast!" Keith stated reluctantly.

"Am I seeing what I think I'm seeing?" Pidge said getting up and approaching the flight chair. Pidge was gawking at the little box in the corner of the viewscreen where Voltron was talking to the crew.

"Commander can I have my seat back now?" Pidge asked politely. The Commander turned to him. "You okay, Pidge?" Hawkins asked.

"I'm fine now." Pidge replied. "Now I would like to have my seat back,…"

"Okay! Okay!" Hawkins laughed. "Here, take your damn seat!"

"I see why you like this assignment so much." Hawkins said strapping himself into a seat in the back of the flight compartment.

"Well where's the real one?" LV asked absent mindedly.

"That is the real one." Lance added, "Just possessed by a robeast."

"Well that makes things much easier doesn't it? LV said sarcastically. "I've got to destroy the robeast without destroying VV."

"We should, at least, try to get him away from the castle." Pidge said.

"Hey look who's come back to join us!" Keith said.

"Well whoever he is, he got the right idea!" LV said. With that LV ran up behind VV and put a light stranglehold on him.

"Come on VV! Let's go take your anger out some where else." LV quipped. VV started shooting at LV. Soon they both looked like two giant wrestlers. LV would flip VV over his shoulder and VV would unleash his spinning laser blades with the swiftness of a kung-fu fighter. LV looked like he was loosing, VV seemed to be one step ahead of LV. For every one of LV, attacks there was a counter attack for each tactic from VV. For Keith this was odd. "I could have sworn we fought a ro- beast just like this one." Keith thought. Keith remembered the way to defeat it also. Keith started looking on different scanning frequencies. It was on the wide band frequency that he noticed something odd about the shape of VV.

"Hey, Voltron, take a look at this." Keith said. Voltron immediately switched is attention the frequency Keith had set. Upon the switch Voltron staggered a bit. His view went from a multi color world to a purple background with a light purple blob in the center, not to mention a loud squealing noise that increased to a volume that almost set off Voltron's gyroscopic stabilizers.

SYSTEM FEED ERROR – WIDE BAND FREQUENCY SCAN

"It looks like something was superimposed upon him." Voltron said immediately ignoring his own system warning. "I see your point, but I don't see where you are getting at,… YEOW!"

"Voltron? You okay?" Keith asked in concern.

"I'm fine, I just have an input overload in #5." Voltron shook off the effects of the overload but could not completely eliminate them.

"I had a tactic for this type of ro-beast." Keith said. "Voltron, prepare to disengage the arms."

"What!" Voltron yelped.

"Lance, I'm going to send you the Blazing Sword via Electroforce Cross. Just like last time." Keith said.

"Okay Keith," Lance said. "Pidge you remember this one?"

"Remember it, I put it into the computer once we got back!" Pidge replied "It should be automatic!"

"Oh yeah? What's the filename?" LV asked.

"TACT.Pidge-1" Pidge replied proudly.

"Oh, of course! The computer scientist always has to put their name on things." LV quipped. "It must be in the MI-OS partition."

"MI-OS…?" Pidge asked.

"Manual Interface... I'll explain later." LV interrupted.

VV started to charge again at LV. "Found it!" LV exclaimed and the tactic went into action. Followed by a comedically melodramatic scream from LV. "AAAHHH! My arms!"

DISENGAGE LIONS 2 AND 3... COMPLETE   
ACTIVATING REMOTE ACCESS VIA ELECTROFORCE CROSS  
AUTODETECT LOCATION  
OBJECT SEND... PWPN BLAZESWORD

Both Green and Red Lions separated and landed on the ground right next to each other. VV missed LV and ended up on the ground. The Electroforce Cross was sent down to both lions and the blazing sword was formed in a few short minutes the Green Lion was reconnected and the red lion was flying around with the sword.

"Wait a minute!" Lance shouted. "We can't destroy VV!"

VV got up again but was now disoriented, the robot seemed to be going crazy. Upon VV's disorientation he stepped on a few houses, and fell down crushing part of a small town.

"Where are you LV!" VV shouted. "You won't defeat me this time!" VV got up and was now searching with his hands, as if he were blind. "Oh! Come on now! Surely the great LV would not fight an enemy on unequal terms now, would he?" There was no response from LV, just a change of position.

"That's it Voltron, keep him wondering where we are until we figure a way to separate the robeast from VV. Keith said.

"Keith, If worst comes to worst,… I give you full permission to destroy VV." Hawkins said solemnly.

"Don't say that yet, Commander," Pidge comforted. "We still have a chance. The castle speakers went on, the robeast's voice using VV as an outlet filled the silence. "Haggar is dead! Thanks to Voltron! HA! HA! HA!" VV stated. LV looked at him dumbfoundedly. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Oh! You know definitely what I'm talking about!" VV was still looking for LV in his blindness. "It is an act of revenge!"

"Revenge?" said LV amazed.

"Don't you remember the time you went and asked your creator about your fifth input device?" VV started. "It still does annoy you, doesn't it?" The loud squealing noise filled Voltron's head again, causing him to fall to his knees.

"AHHH! What's happening." LV cried. The sound was starting to break circuits in his head as it filled the flight compartments and invaded the ears of the Voltron Force. All of the force members holding their hands on their ears tightly.

"System overload?" VV asked with an evil sneer. "It's enough to make one go mad, isn't it?"

"Oh, creator!" VV said melodramatically, "I can't help your kingdom like this, This infernal noise is affecting my instruments and scanners, I'm starting to see things that aren't there. Since you cannot find a problem, I must go see the goddess at the end of the universe. Maybe she could help me find or get rid of this problem." LV was beginning to recall the event.

"It was so kind of King Alfor to let you go, even in the middle of a war. After all the effects were starting to be noticeable at that time." The robeast said wryly. "You were seeing enemies, like Haggar, inflicting pain on the people of the kingdom in mass numbers. Many times you would leave the repair bay to go and fight things that weren't there. You knew Haggar had inflicted this upon you Voltron, you could feel that it was her magic. Not to mention that she invaded your sleep cycles!" VV laughed maniacally at this.

"King Alfor, poor King Alfor, didn't know what to do. He was seeing his greatest creation go mad before his eyes! His wife had already thought you were crazy, thinking that once you go mad you would be bent upon total control of Arus!" VV paused to look at LV's expression. Although the face outside couldn't give one. The gold lights in his eyes were burning brighter.

"No one knew that it was a trick." The robeast continued, "And Voltron, the biggest fool in the universe went for it! So you went to the edge of the universe,…" the robeast started his conclusion. "The goddess greeted you with open arms. But it was not the goddess, but the craggy old witch Haggar that cursed you,as you discovered when you came face to face. She put a spell on you that nearly destroyed you!" the ro-beast continued on his seemingly endless explanation each point driving emotionally at LV.

"But she didn't, I'm still here" LV replied.

"Yes. But what TIME is it?" the robeast laughed. "Twelve years have gone by! Did you ever bother to look at the world surrounding you? There is a new castle standing, you know. How, did that come about?" LV looked at the castle saw the new one had come up from the ground.

"Voltron, be careful! He's going to try to manipulate your mind." Keith warned but LV wasn't listening, the sound in the flight compartment muffled his speech.

"Yes, Voltron! Much time has passed, since you were last activated." The robeast said. "The princess is now a pretty young woman at the age of about 20. You never noticed? Where's her father? Oh, I'm afraid I have some sad news to tell you,…" LV was listening, he couldn't hear anything else now. The robeast's voice channeled through VV was the only audible thing.

"… Your creator, King Alfor, is dead!"

"NO!" LV shouted. "You lie!"

"Yes, it's true I'm afraid, he was run though by the blade of your worst enemy Zarkon! But youwouldn't have known that, you weren't there to save him! You weren't there to prevent future torture andslavery of the people you were created to protect! You weren't there to see to the safety of the royalfamily! You weren't there to see Zarkon occupy this planet and make the beautiful grassy plains of Arusturn into barren dessert! It is your fault that King Alfor is not here today,… strike two! HAHAHAHAHA! " Allura gasped at hearing this and immediately went toward the communication unit. "Voltron don't listen to him! You couldn't have known,…"

"Yes, Voltron, you couldn't have known. But the fact of the matter is, you risked the lives and freedom of Arus for a problem with your circuitry! Your ignorance killed King Alfor!"

"NOOO!" LV rushed VV. The Red Lion reconnecting.

"Voltron, What are you doing!" Keith yelled. The robeast that controlled VV had regained his sight and formed a blazing sword of its own. Now both Voltrons were fighting using their swords. The fight was fast paced, LV putting all his energy into it. He was gaining an upper hand. Then as soon as it started it ended with a bright flash of light through VV midsection. VV didn't blow up, he just shattered into his 15 pieces and his sword. Keith looked at what the sword had impacted with and was filled with dread.

"Oh, No!" "The master cylinder,… it's destroyed!" Lance finished. Voltron looked up at what he had done There he saw VV's master cylinder split in two by his own sword.

"Oh, God,… What have I done?" LV stammered in complete shock. The group gathered around the Control Room monitor took in the sight of what had happened. They all could not speak. The robeast formed out of no where, right in front of LV. It was in fact the Evil LV robeast that Haggar created. "Strike three LV!" It laughed at him. "You must be going mad, you have just killed two lives and ruined the future of another. Not to mention putting fifteen people out of a job! Shame on you!"

"Voltron listen to me,…" Keith shouted but was too late.

"You BASTARD!" LV got up again and charged at the real robeast, but was overpowered by the advance timing that the Evil LV had. They both fought again this time the Evil LV was gaining the upperhand. Soon LV was pinned to the ground. More robeasts formed around them, including Yurak.

"Good job! I'm impressed. Zarkon nor Lotor could even get this far." Yurak said confidently Four robeasts surrounded Voltron and dragged him upright by the arms. Yurak started hitting Voltron in the midsection. It looked more like a gang fight now, and it was seriously in favor of the enemy. They all took turns beating LV. The Voltron Force felt every impact that Voltron felt. "We need a big weapon, Voltron!" Keith shouted.

"What about the lion head attack?" Lance asked.

"There are to many, the lion heads won't get them all." Keith replied, "We need something else." The picture of Voltron in the corner was now starting to show static. They were loosing him.

"Voltron I need a list of all the weapons you have." Keith said calmly. Voltron did not reply verbally but he did manage to come up with the list. Keith looked down the list, carefully ruling out weapons that he knew wouldn't work. Then he saw it.

"Voltron! I need a Sonic Roar!" Keith shouted.

"It is,… only used in the Black Lion. Voltron managed to say. Keith pounded his fist on the controls. "We need to get out of this!"

"Maybe I can multiply the file for all the lions, because I can't find it here." Pidge replied.

"Do it!" Keith yelled, "We're running out of time."

"Don't give up Voltron!" Lance said seeing the picture of Voltron go blank for a split second.

"I've got it!" Pidge exclaimed, "Try it now Voltron!" And with that Voltron activated the loudest Sonic Roar yet! Multiplied by five! The sound wasenough to measure at least 2 megatons of force and shifted the air around Voltron as it was emitted. The Voltron Force were covering their ears tightly and yet still going dizzy by the deafening noise. The castle windows shattered. And the Robeasts were thrown a distance of 4 miles. Some robeasts disappeared in a  
flash of light. Everyone in the castle was on the floor and trying to get up after the awful din subsided. About half the robeasts remained. They were getting up again. Yurak was still alive or dead but still moving. The robeasts charged at Voltron, collided and tacked him. More beating took place.

"This is impossible!" Pidge shouted.

"Voltron! I need another Sonic Roar!"

"I can't do that for another ten minutes! The solar battery has to recharge." Voltron replied in pain.

"Now what?" Lance asked.

"Why don't we spli'up and disperse 'em?" Cliff shouted.

"Great idea Cliff!" Keith shouted, "But we have to get out first." In the castle, odd things were happening with the castle computer. Coran looked at the monitors. Chip had entered the room, he had been permitted to leave just a while ago. With all the noise, he wondered what was going on. "I don't understand this, the Castle computer just started downloading something into the emergency data bank." Coran said.

"Where is it coming from?" Allura asked.

"I'm trying to figure that out now." Coran replied as he pushed buttons on the console. "The computer says that the data stream is coming from the repair bay."

"But there isn't anything in the repair bay." Allura said. "Do you think the castle has been breached?"

"That's highly unlikely." Coran said. "But the sensors are detecting a metallic object with high energy emissions."

"Where's Vehicle Voltron's sword?" Chip asked looking up into the monitors Everyone turned around to see Chip approaching the group.

"Chip! You're okay!" Ginger shouted, almost about to run up and hug him.

"The sword contains all the backup data." Chip blurted out almost uncontrollably. Coran managed to get a visual of the repair bay. Vehicle Voltron's sword lay embedded into asmall opening in the wall only the hilt was seen. Suddenly, the castle alarms went off followed by a communication from a guard station in the laser turrets. "Coran! The castle weapons system is going crazy!"

"Voltron's downloading himself into the castle system!" Chip shouted.

"How do you know this?" Allura asked.

"Your father told me." Chip said.

"My father?" Allura gasped Then, without any warning the systems went dead. "Now what's going on!" Coran shouted. A statement flashed on the control room screen.

SYSTEM INCOMPLETE --- AI NOT FOUND.

"But Vehicle Voltron never had an artificial intelligence system!" Coran yelled worriedly, "All the controls are locked up!"

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

* * *

VOLTRON: DEFENDER OF THE UNIVERSE is the property of World Events Productions (copyright 1984,1997-2000 All rights reserved.) and Toei Animation.


	5. Chapter 5

* * *

At that time LV was still being pummeled by the robeasts and was still disoriented from the invading noise.  
"Alright Voltron, I have a plan to get us out of here but I need to make sure that you are going to listen to me from now on." Keith stated plainly.  
"Does it look like I have a choice?" Voltron replied annoyedly.  
"Can you hold up until you can get enough power to discharge another sonic roar?" Keith asked.  
"As long as the data is still intact and accessible I think I can." Voltron said.  
"I need a definite answer, can you or can't you?" Keith yelled in rising anger.  
"I can." Voltron replied still unsure of himself.   
"Alright then, we will continue with the old plan, this time I want EVERYONE to follow through!" Keith said stressing the point to Voltron.  
"That will only confuse one robeast though." Pidge warned. "What will we do with the rest of them?"  
"We'll figure that out later. We don't want to give someone a stack overflow!" Keith's witty remark was directed at Voltron.  
"I'm going to ignore that comment, because something more important has happened." Voltron stated. "I have lost contact with Castle Control. All communication protocols have completely stopped!"  
"Has it been destroyed?" Hunk asked.  
"No, it is just offline." Voltron replied. "Oh, and the battery is almost charged. Yes, Keith I did multitask without a so called stack overflow!"  
There was a definite feeling in Voltron's voice that told anyone that he was rather ticked off.   
"Get off me you losers!" Voltron yelled as he let loose another sonic roar. After that he recalled the original tactic that had been previously loaded into memory. He was free to fly in the air, the red and green lions disconnected and formed the blazing sword.  
"Come here!" Voltron said as his detached arms approached the Evil Voltron Robeast. The Evil Voltron could not see the sword coming and was split in half in the typical "Air Voltron" style. The Evil Voltron robeast exploded two seconds later. All the other robeasts looked at what had just happened.  
"Alright, who's next!" Voltron shouted wielding his blazing sword slightly overcome by his disorientation but refusing to let it take over. "I  
made robeast sushi more than enough times to say that I am quite experienced at it." Voltron continued. "Would anyone else like another demonstration?" The robeasts thought a while. "Well don't go busting a neural circuit over it!" Voltron yelled. The robeasts just stood there. "Well how do you like that!" Voltron thought, take away the ring leader and your stuck with minions with onions for brains,... try saying that five times fast."  
The robeasts were starting to back off. "Look, I really am not the robeast destroyer you think I am." Voltron started. "I really don't mind robeasts. I'd hate to destroy you all,... again." the robeasts stopped.  
"You can't expect me to just walk up and slice you with the sword, I'm too good for that." The robeasts were now listening intently.   
"You guys don't have to follow the orders of Yurak or that Evil Voltron. You have your own personality, your own dreams, your own thoughts, your own brains!... Or at least I think you have your own brains." Voltron continued.  
"As far as I'm concerned, you are free. Go live your lives the way you want to live them."   
"Hopefully in peace." Keith thought.  
The robeasts still stood there some with their heads tilted to the side as if Voltron were speaking in some foreign language.  
"This is useless!" Voltron shouted.  
One of the robeasts finally stepped forward. "What about Yurak? He'll kill us if we don't obey him."  
"Don't worry about Yurak,... leave him to me!" Voltron said. "I was created to defend the innocent. Don't take this too hard, but you robeasts aren't smart enough to be evil."  
Keith was now starting to realize what Voltron was trying to do at this time. As surprised as he was no one was more surprised then Voltron when he got the desired reaction.  
"Free?" Another robeast asked. All the robeasts started to talk amongst themselves about their newly received freedom. Some scratching their heads as if they had never heard the word before. The robeasts, after a long time of thinking, were cheering as they walked away. As the robeasts walked away they seemed to vanish into thin air. Voltron and the Voltron Force, went back to the castle.  
"Well that was creepy." Pidge said. They just vanished.  
"I recognized a lot of those robeasts... we fought them before." Keith gave his analysis.  
"You mean they are dead robeasts?" Hunk replied with a fearful gulp.  
"I didn't think robeasts could become 'spirits'." Lance said. "Does that mean we just did an exorcism on Vehicle Voltron?"  
"Please don't say that." Hunk replied with a slightly cowardly voice.  
"What's the matter? Did the big old robeast ghosts scare you?" Lance teased.  
"Cut it out you two!" Keith commanded.  
"So, who are you." Voltron broke into the conversation.  
Keith introduced himself first. "I am Keith, captain of the Voltron Force."  
"NO!" Voltron gasped sarcastically, "I thought you were the Queen of Altair!"   
"Well, you two seem to be getting off on the right foot." Lance quipped.  
"Listen, I am the captain here." Keith started, "I give the orders." "All you have to do is follow them!"   
"OH! YES SIR! CERTAINLY SIR!" Voltron said with as much anti-enthusiasm as he could muster.  
"Oh, goodie. A robot with an attitude." Keith growled.  
"I think, we should just forget about the past incident that just happened." Pidge stated.  
"I agree." Hawkins started. "Just be glad you aren't under my authority, I have plenty of anti-attitude exercises that I implement for insubordinates."   
"I just can't win, can I?" Voltron sighed.  
Meanwhile, the castle systems were still dead Coran and the rest of the Vehicle Force team were still standing around in the dark. The control room screen still blinking 

SYSTEM INCOMPLETE --- AI NOT FOUND.

Coran is pacing back and fourth in the dark. The emergency lights went on and partial power was restored to basic systems. The screen changed to

SYSTEM RESTART --- ORIGINAL CONFIGURATION.

The castle PA communications clicked.  
"Coran, we were able to disengage the previous program. However, weapons and security systems are still offline."  
"What about the sensors?" Coran asked to the open air.  
"Were working on that right now, sir." The castle guard standing at the PA system turned to the work crew behind him. "Coran needs the sensors online."  
The PA clicked again. And the sound was replaced by a buzzing and squealing radio noise with a voice underneath it. Coran walked up to the control console and tried to adjust the signal.   
Outside, Voltron was approaching the castle. "This is Voltron to castle control, do you read?"  
"What's going on?" Pidge asked.  
"The castle's communication protocols have been reset." Voltron said, "I am querying the computer to figure out what happened, but the frequency code has been rotated. I have to contact Coran to get the code so I can access it."   
"This is Castle Control,...Please repeat your message." Coran said.  
"Adjusting frequency modulation,..." Voltron said. "Castle Control,... do you read."  
"This is Castle Control, we can barely hear you through all the static." Coran said over the communication through a lot of static. After Coran was done speaking the static ceased.  
"The static is coming from their end." Voltron said immediately.  
"Coran, the castle frequency code has changed." Voltron shouted over the static. "I can't get a clear signal without it, could you send it to us?"  
There was no response from the castle. For a long time the radio was silent.  
"Do you think something happened?" Cliff asked. As soon as Cliff ended his sentence, the radio crackled to life.  
"I'm getting the codes now." Voltron reported.  
Voltron was soon accessing the control room computer. Voltron had a clear line to the castle control room and that was it. The rest of the system was blocked off.  
"Coran, what's going on in there?" Voltron asked annoyedly.   
"Vehicle Voltron just tried to download himself into the castle computer system. He locked everything up! The castle main computer was shut down and restarted but now most of the castle's systems are down."   
"You had better believe it!" Voltron exclaimed in amazement. "There are so many crossliked files in here it is worse than a jungle!"  
"Can you help us?" Coran asked.  
"Isn't that what I do best?" Voltron quipped.  
Allura couldn't suppress a chuckle.  
"When can you get here?" Coran asked.  
"I'm already at the castle now." Voltron reported. "As soon as I disassemble and land, I'll get onto fixing the data tables. I'm just glad VV is still around."  
And with that, Voltron did as he said. He disassembled, landed and was soon inside the castle computers sifting through data with thewords "Oh, data processing is fun! (with sarcasm)" blinking on the control room screen like a PC screen saver. Keith and the others returned to the control room from the lions, all happy to see everything going as good as it should for the time being.

_ Voltron deep within the castle computer data stream was looking all around the bits of data flying around. Most of them bouncing around with no where to go. So the data goes crashing into virtual walls. Voltron almost gets clobbered by one flying in his direction._  
_"Hey watch where you're going!" Voltron shouted as he jumps out of the way and shakes his fist at the flying data bit._  
_"This will be a load of fun!" Voltron says sarcastically as he hunts for the source of the problem while dodging flying bits._  
_"If VV attempted to download himself into the computer, the application should be here in its entirety." Voltron says to himself while_ _analyzed the damage. "Now the big question is, where did the castle system route him before it crashed?"_  
_Voltron quietly looks around. With all the misallocated data blocking his view, the search is difficult. But Voltron comes across a data block_ _and places a hand (or lion head) on it and analyzes the data inside. "Well I'll be a robeast's uncle!" Voltron exclaimed. "The File Allocation_ _Tables are still intact." Voltron keeps scanning the block. "If I can find the time the system incorporated VV's application I can find the_ _location of storage, if it wasn't disrupted by the crash." Voltron scanned further. "Hmmm,... What's this?" Voltron read the data and to his_ _surprise it was not what he expected. Voltron starts to laugh. "Allura put her journal in the castle file system?" Nanny would have a fit!"_  
_Voltron stops looking at the personal data about Allura and returns to the task at hand, along the way he gets side tracked again by finding a picture of Allura and her father in Allura's private folder. "I'm sorry Your Highness,... I dropped the ball." Voltron solemnly said to himself. "It was a dirty trick, and I fell for it. Your father's death is my fault." Voltron saved the image into his own data banks and continued with the task at hand. "Stay on task LV." Voltron said to himself. Voltron continues to scan the data and soon he comes across the information he needs. "Here it is,... VV is located on Track 0, Cylinder 0, Sector 0, of the EESD 2?" Voltron contemplated the meaning of the abbreviation. "And it's location,... COM 51, allocation,... 3A0H-89BH." Voltron took his hand of the data block and started hunting down the location of Vehicle Voltron. _

Outside the computer, all is going better than it had been in the last few hours. Everyone is exhausted from the ordeal of the attack. And while they all wait for Lion Voltron to find Vehicle Voltron. Most of the two teams gather together, talk about the past, and inform each other of current events. Lisa rejoins Jeff down in the sick bay. With her are Keith, Cliff, Chip, Allura, Pidge.  
"So, How's the leg Jeff?" Lisa said almost cooingly. Keith and Allura look at each other recognizing the situation all too well.  
"It's getting better, that's all I can say." Jeff almost whimpered. Lisa couldn't help giggling a little.  
"What was going on out there Keith? You destroyed another robeast or something?" Jeff asked.  
"Well, you could say so." Keith replied. "Were still recovering from the attack."  
"How are the repairs coming along on our Voltron?" Jeff asked.  
Keith and Allura looked at each other. Lisa was the first to answer. "The repairs have been postponed."  
"What for?" Jeff replied with a tone of concern.  
"Lion Voltron is still trying to find the Vehicle Voltron system." Lisa answered.   
"Didn't they retrieve the data core?" Jeff asked.  
Jeff was soon surrounded by looks of confusion. "Data core?" Allura asked. "We only found a master cylinder."  
"The master cylinder is where all the log data and applications are housed. The data core is part of the master cylinder, but placed in a different area of the command shuttle. It contains the boot block." Jeff stated. Lisa just looked at him amusedly.  
Keith immediately continued where Jeff left off. "Of course! That is the reason why the computer crashed when VV downloaded himself into it." Keith paused a minute. "That's dumb! Who would transfer the system but not the boot block?"   
"Galaxy Garrison would." Jeff replied. "Copy protection against the Drules."  
"Jeff how did you get so smart all of a sudden?" Lisa asked.  
"Well if you ever saw a panel with that sort of information on it before it clobbered you unconscious, you would remember it too." Jeff replied sarcastically.  
"So much for copy protection." Lisa quipped.  
"You mean that all we have to do is to find the data core and combine it with the transferred system and VV will be running again?" Keith asked.  
"That's right." Jeff said.  
Keith suddenly jumped at Jeff with her hands around his throat. "Why didn't you tell us this earlier!" Allura yelled.  
Jeff yelped in pain as Keith's attack caused the support for Jeff's broken leg to shift violently.  
Allura grabbed Keith and pulled him off of Jeff. Lisa steadied the wavering leg.  
"What's your problem Keith?" Jeff asked annoyedly and in severe pain.  
"I sent Pidge out there to pick up the master cylinder. If I would have known this information earlier none of this might have happened." Keith yelled.  
"Gee Keith, I'm sorry, but I wasn't faced with a situation that would help me remember it until now." Jeff replied defensively.  
"Jeff, you wouldn't know you had shot yourself in the foot until someone told you." Keith quipped. Lisa couldn't suppress a small giggle. Jeff glared a Lisa, "Who's side are you on, anyway."  
"It's true Jeff. Sometimes you can be so daft." Lisa giggled.  
"Okay, enough!" Jeff shouted. "Let's stop commenting about my swiftness or lack thereof and start talking about the repairs on Vehicle Voltron."   
"Alright, we'll stop picking on you, for now." Lisa said softly.   
"Now we got to go back out and find the data core." Keith sighed wearily.  
"Listen will talk about physical repairs later, Jeff." Keith said as he started to leave. Allura waved and exited quietly behind him.  
"Keith? Are you all right?" Allura asked as she darted in his path.  
"I'm fine Princess." Keith said shrugging off the question.   
"Don't give me that! I know you better than you think, you can't avoid me! I know there is something wrong, so what is it?" Allura stated clearly in a sudden fit of anger.  
"Calm down, Allura." Keith said as he walked on by her. Allura stamped her foot and in a flurry was off in the opposite direction with a huff of temporary contempt.

_ LV still in the castle computer found EESD 1 and was now scanning the data inside. As he entered, he found himself faced with himself. His other self was lying in a corner lifeless like a marionette. LV studied his other self. He then picked up one of the arms and the dropped it. It fell to the ground lifeless. Voltron accessed his other self and found the reason why. It was a slightly outdated image file of his__database that gets updated every time LV would go into power save._  
_"I guess you're here in case I bite the dust right?" LV said to himself. His other self did not respond._  
_"I figured as much." LV said and then exited EESD 1. He then looked down the data table and found EESD 2 and an EESD 3 and 4 as_ _well as an inactive link to a non-existing EESD 5. LV stood there looking at all the links. "It seems that Alfor planned for more than two_ _Voltrons." He briefly went to check EESD 3 and 4. Seeing that the databases were empty, he exited from them quickly. "It also seems that_ _Alfor never got the chance to create them or use them if he did." LV thought to himself. LV entered EESD 2 and low and behold VV was_ _sitting in the corner, much like he found his other self in EESD 1._  
_"Ha! Ha! I have found you!" LV shouted. VV just lay there. LV repeated is action of picking up VV's arm and letting it drop to the ground. LV then started to access VV's system. After a few minutes of searching LV found the problem. "There's no boot block!"_  
_"You load your brain into the castle system and you forget to bring your spine?" LV shouted at the unconscious VV. "What kind of idiot__would do such a thing?" LV scanned further and found the Galaxy Garrison command protocols. "Wait a minute, what is all this extra data for?" LV looked at all the binary coding and noticed a whole bunch of ones and zeros that had no place to go when the file was finished. "I don't get it, this system seems to be all misconfigured." LV analyzed sifting through the miscellaneous data. LV also found an extensive Artificial Intelligence Operating System that was disabled in all the command protocols._  
_LV was soon busy analyzing the data he collected for use in a jumpstarter program to replace the boot block. The only problem was that_ _VV would be accessing LV's boot block to start up on. In just a few minutes LV had the program debugged and compiled. LV initialized_ _the jumpstarter program. A window opened next to him with all the fields that he needed to place the data in. Once he got the necessary_ _system info and location within the computer, LV crossed his fingers and started the program. Instantly VV made one violent convulsion and his yellow robotic eyes lit up._  
_"VV?" LV asked hoping to get an answer. VV did nothing except stare into space. LV accessed VV's system again and was able to find the log files of past missions, but it was harder to access the AIOS. It was at the time that LV started to access the AIOS that he saw a_ _spark and then a window opened up with an AVI movie-like picture playing in it. The window was playing a mission log file, the last mission_ _before VV ended up here. VV then turned his head to face LV. VV said nothing before deactivating again only a flash of light appeared above him. "Wait a minute, VV." LV said trying to get VV back. LV tried again using more power, this time the VV's eyes lit up a little brighter and then another flash above his head but the flash revealed a window with a red blotch in the middle it was only there for an instant. Within a few seconds VV faded back into unconsciousness. "Come on, come back!" All of LV's efforts weren't working. "I don't understand, it is like VV is speaking some unknown computer code." LV scanned VV's system again but the system told him nothing. LV soon found Professor Page listed in the Explorer manifest. LV soon exited the EESD 2 and was now on his way out of the system._

Exiting the system, he was transformed into his holographic image in which he could interact with those in the castle and on the castle grounds. Walking through a winding maze of corridors he entered the control room. Coran was at the controls.  
"Coran, I need you to contact the Explorer, and tell them to send Professor Page here." Voltron commanded.  
"Voltron, did you find anything?" Coran asked getting up from his seat.   
"I found out a lot, but I don't understand it all." Voltron started. "VV showed me something, and then crashed." A small pause silenced the room.  
"I will contact Professor Page." Coran said as he went back to the control console slowly.  
"Is something wrong Coran?" Voltron asked looking at Coran with some concern.  
"No, Voltron. I am fine." Coran paused. "It's been so long since you have been in your holographic form."  
"Please don't remind me, just get Page here now. I have a question for him." Voltron stated very gruffly then retreated into the computer system again.  
Keith walked through the corridors to find Pidge and Hunk. Both were in their room playing a game of chess. Pidge had just finished a odd move and Hunk just sat there looking at the board and then looking back at Pidge over and over again. "I can't believe you made that move Pidge, you just put yourself in check." Hunk stated flatly. "I did not." Pidge argued. "Look at the board, Pidge. Tell me what you see?"  
Hunk asked rhetorically. Pidge scanned the board quickly. It took him a while to see his mistake. "I don't see anything,... oh." Pidge meekly retreated in his argument. Keith interrupted the issue. "Pidge, Hunk, get to your lions, we have to go find another piece of equipment from the Vehicle Voltron wreckage."   
"I thought we had what we needed already." Pidge replied somewhat irked.  
"We have to find a 'boot block' for the Vehicle Voltron system." Keith answered also somewhat irked. "You mean that there wasn't one in the original programming?" Pidge asked now somewhat astonished at the stupidity of it all.   
"Nope." Keith answered simply then motioned the both of them to get going. Both Pidge and Hunk got up from their game of chess and followed Keith to the control room.  
When all three of them approached the control room they noticed Coran talking to Capt. Newly on the damaged Explorer.  
"Voltron requested that you have Professor Page come to the castle." Coran stated bluntly.  
"Voltron?" Newly replied in a vague surprise. "May I ask why?" Newley asked.  
"I don't know, all he told me was that he spoke to Vehicle Voltron, and then V. Voltron crashed." Coran started. "Our Voltron had no idea what caused it, he didn't seem to happy either."  
"Did you just say he spoke to Vehicle Voltron?" Newley blurted.  
"Yes, and Vehicle Voltron only showed Voltron a grouping of symbols." Coran finished.  
"I'll send him there immediately." Newley said and then the communicator shut off.  
Coran sat back in the chair and the turned to see the three Lion Force members waking toward the control center.  
"Coran, we need to go find the boot block for Vehicle Voltron." Keith stated plainly as he went to push the button that raised the control center for access to the lion ships.   
"I think that is a good idea, but you will need to stay out there for a while to maintain scans. With our scanners down we have no way of knowing what is coming our way." Coran added.  
"Ok." Keith said as the button was pushed and the control center rose to reveal the elevators to the lion ships. Keith, Pidge and Hunk entered the elevators. Within the next five minutes they were in their lions ready to go except for,... Voltron. Inside the castle computer Voltron was in power save until he heard a small beep enter his head.  
"Huh?..." Voltron woke up from his sleep and saw a translucent window appear before him sectioned into three parts. Three lions were activating, but they couldn't until Voltron was in them.  
"Oh! I'm needed." Voltron rushed through several links and conduits before reaching the destination.  
"I'm here! I'm here!" Voltron said as he rushed to access the lion systems.  
"Well it's about time!" Keith quipped. "What took you so long?"   
"I was in power save until Prof. Page could get to the castle. I didn't have any other things on my task list." Voltron explained.  
"So you were sleeping on the job, weren't you?" Keith accused harshly.  
"Yeah, so, that's what computers do when they don't have anything better to do." Voltron said in an aggravated tone. "What do you do when you are bored, Complain about it?" Voltron asked.  
"Now listen here!" Keith started. "I'm the captain and I can write you up for insubordination!"   
Voltron laughed, "Insubordination? I'd show you insubordination but now isn't the time for it."  
"Will you two shut up?" Pidge yelled over the intercom. "It's evident that you two are having social problems, but could you please keep the abuse on the ears to a minimum?" Both Voltron and Keith were silent for a few minutes.  
"Let's go." Keith said as the Black Lion charged up for flight.  
"Keith, systems check out. You are ready for launch,... at your leisure, sir." Voltron annunciated clearly.  
"Now isn't the time to restart this Voltron." Keith replied. "Alright team launch lions!"  
Green Lion launches from its giant tree hiding place at the same time that the Yellow Lion launches from the sand lion statue in the desert.  
Black Lion launches from the pedestal in front of the castle bridge.  
"Keith,..." Voltron said now trying to get his attention.  
"Now what?" Keith said with some fatigue.  
"I'm detecting a few ships in the long range scanners." Voltron replied in a serious tone placing his data in a window on Keith's monitor.  
"Did you identify them yet?" Keith asked.  
"No, not yet, I'm still scanning them for their signal." Voltron replied.   
"Do you think they could be from Planet Doom?" Pidge asked.   
"They could be, but that is why Voltron is making sure. Right Voltron?" Keith asked.  
"Affirmative." Voltron replied.  
"So the sooner we find Vehicle Voltron's boot block, the better." Hunk stated.  
"Unfortunately, that may not be the case." Voltron said. "We may find the boot block but it may be damaged beyond repair, or we may not find it at all."  
"And even if we do find it, Vehicle Voltron would not be able to help us at all." Keith continued, "VV is still strewn all over the crash landing site in less than good condition."   
"If Haggar were still alive we could get Vehicle Voltron back in action." Hunk said depressed.  
"There's still the young Haggar left." Pidge said. "There might still be hope."  
"Keith,... I have even worse news." Voltron solemnly said.   
"Uh Oh, Doom ships?" Keith asked.  
"Affirmative, only four but they have robeasts in the cargo bays." Voltron replied.   
"Not more robeasts!" Pidge said.  
"Voltron, the situation does not look good." Keith said. "Are you up to this? You took quite a beating last time."  
"I don't think we have a choice in this matter." Voltron said looking to the sky.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

VOLTRON: DEFENDER OF THE UNIVERSE and the title GALAXY GARRISON are the property of World Events Productions (copyright 1984,1997-2000 All rights reserved.) and Toei Animation. If any information is wrong or missing please let me know and I will correct the problem as soon as I can. More details in Acknoledgements section.


	6. Chapter 6

* * *

The three Voltron force members as well as Voltron fell silent as they knew that those ships were heading for them.  
"Keith to Castle of Lions... come in... urgent." Keith said as he continued with a warning procedure. Voltron, Hunk and Pidge were keeping an eye out for anything suspicious while Voltron flies to the crash site and scanning for the boot block in the wreckage.   
There was no loud squeal on the line so the communication protocols were set correctly and frequencies were okay. Keith continued communicating with the castle to update them. There seemed to be a deafening silence on the planet, an unconscious note to all inhabitants that a major storm was coming, a Doom attack. Voltron knew that a multi-robeast attack was emanate since it happened before. Even Voltron knew he was going to need help with the situation. Last time he was lucky. This time... who knows. Voltron searched the wreckage and surpringly enough, he found the boot block quickly and easily. The thing was about the size of a computer CPU only this one had a large dent in the side of it, right where there was also placed a sticker with the noted warning on it as said by Jeff earlier. Hunk disconnected any loose wiring in the area that the boot block was tied up in and hefted it to the Green Lion for Pidge to take an initial look at it. Keith looked at it as it was extracted from the ship. "Well I can safely say this, If I had something like that land on my face, I'd be stupid too."  
Pidge examined the damage and noticed that the box had been mangled enough to make a small opening near the top. Then, like any computer expert, Pidge decided to open it up "on site."  
"What the heck is this stuff?" Pidge exclaimed as he opened up the covering and found a silver jelly like substance inside covering some of the components. Pidge goes to touch it but his hand is slapped away the silver jelly moves.  
"Careful Pidge! It could be a mercury base." Keith warned as he slapped the hand away. Then both Pidge and Keith see the silver blob move again.  
"I don't believe this!" Keith said in amazement.   
"Is it some sort of alien life?" Pidge asked.  
"Don't look at me. I'm not the expert." Keith replied shrugging his shoulders. "Let's get it back to the castle and find out. Professor Page should be there by now."   
Voltron sensed the Voltron Force returning to their lions.  
"Keith, Pidge, Hunk, I have good news to report." Voltron started his announcement.  
"The Doom ships have halted their advancement, and the castle systems are almost in complete working order. I detected a long range scanner signal from the castle about half a minute ago." Voltron finished.  
"That's good to hear, Voltron." Keith replied to the good news, he felt a little better knowing that those in the castle have a better knowledge of what was coming. "Did you just say that the Doom ships have halted their advancement?" Keith asked Voltron.  
"Affirmative." Voltron replied respectively. "I have a report from the castle that the moment the scanners went online Haggar was able to conjure a spell to keep them in place for a while, but she says it will not last."  
"Good that may just give us the time we need." Keith said leaning back in his flight seat. "Let's get back to the castle." In a few minutes the lions were airborne again heading toward the Castle of Lions.  
"Hey Voltron, can you run a scan on this gooey silvery stuff in the boot block?" Pidge asked.  
"Don't tell me the boot block is melted!" Voltron exclaimed.   
"No, it moves!" Pidge replied.  
"It moves?" Voltron asked his face in the small window contorting interrogatively.   
Voltron began a scan as Pidge put the boot block down on a small platform off to the side of his flight seat.  
"Pidge... That slivery stuff is alive." Voltron stated continuing the scan. "The molecular structure is unlike anything I have ever seen, a metallic/silicon based DNA-like structure... it's amazing." Voltron scanned further...  
"It is aware of all of us." Voltron said. "I can communicate to it but it doesn't understand me, nor do I understand it."  
"Could that be what is missing from Vehicle Voltron that makes him work?" Hunk asked. "No wonder why the Garrison would want to keep it a secret."  
"Better close that thing up Pidge." Keith ordered. "We wouldn't want to loose whatever is in there."  
"Roger that, Captain." Pidge said as he closed up the boot block. However, a small portion of the silvery goo spilled over the back side of the block as Pidge closed and secured it. The goo dribbled down and onto he floor where it slowly seeped into it.  
Within a few minutes the lions had returned to the castle. Voltron unloaded himself from the lion ships and was now in his hologram form waiting for Professor Page to arrive. Waiting with him were Keith and Princess Allura as well as Pidge carrying the boot block. All of them were in the Control Room as Coran guided Professor Page and Commander Hawkins in. Pidge put the boot block down on the floor next to him and a control console. A tendril of the bio-metallic life form oozed out of the crack in the boot block seam and entered the control console.  
Commander Hawkins was somewhat intrigued by the technology that caused the image of a holographic Voltron looking back at him.  
"What did you find out about Vehicle Voltron." Hawkins asked.   
"It seems that the system will not work unless it is supplemented with this boot block." Voltron said. "I have also detected an advanced artificial intelligence system within the main data banks that have not been used."  
"You said that there was never an AI system installed Professor, what's going on?" Hawkins said looking at the Professor.  
"I am sure that there was not an Artificial Intelligence system installed in Vehicle Voltron." Page rebutted. "Dr. Loran and King Alfor had never perfected it."  
Voltron placed his scan results onto the castle screen and a still image of the message that was flashed to him. The professor just looked at the images. Then the scans and images of the silvery goo were placed on the control room screen. "This stuff was found inside the boot block." Voltron said.   
"You opened the boot block?" The professor interrupted.   
"Yes." Voltron replied interrogatively, "Why?"  
"You let it out?" The Professor asked raising his voice.  
"It?" Voltron asked, "You mean the gooey alien life form we found inside the boot block?"  
The Professor was silent.  
"Professor? Is this alien being held against its will?" Voltron asked.  
"What?" The Professor retorted. "I would never do such a thing... honest. As a matter of fact, by opening it you are putting its life in danger."  
"I don't know anything about this, so someone better fill me in on this quickly." Hawkins commanded, not having a clue as to what is going on.  
"I agree." Coran joined in.  
"All in good time." Voltron assured them.  
Voltron all of a sudden shifted violently. Putting a hand (lion head) to the back of his neck briefly.  
"Ouch, what was that?" Voltron asked to no one in particular.  
"Are you okay?" The Princess asked Voltron.  
"I think so." Voltron asked then turning to the screens that were typing out a message. Voltron stopped and stared at the message of symbols.  
"What is that?" Pidge asked.  
"A first contact." Voltron replied quietly. "I can read it."  
Everyone was silent for a moment.  
"Well, what does it say?" Hawkins asked somewhat impatiently.   
"It says, 'Reconnect.'" Voltron relayed. "I am also detecting a foreign object within my data banks."   
"Oh, this is not good." The professor said worriedly.   
"Why?" The Princess asked.  
"It is a long story." The professor said.  
"Well now is the best time to fill us in." Hawkins commanded sternly.  
"I'd sure like to know what is going on." Keith agreed.  
"All right! All right! I'll tell you. But I must tell you that I do not know everything about this system." The Professor stated.   
"I would have known Garrison Intelligence was behind this." Hawkins grumbled. The professor looked at the commander interrogatively, shook his head and started the story.  
"I was working with the initial flight team for the Vehicle Voltron project, King Alfor and Dr. Loran were with me at the time." the Professor started. "We had a few of our fighters assigned to escort the robot during its test flight. In flight control we noticed a small spike in the energy readings. Dr. Loran told us that he did expect that to go away after the system worked out an optimization for best energy/work ratios. Everything was working perfectly, we had the system in Manual mode then the systems shut down, all of them. We tried contacting the pilot at the time but there was no answer. I consulted the king about this, he told me that the only reason why the system would do that was if there was a serious problem or a breach of pre-programmed protocols. Then, an error message flashed on the screen, a number that I can't remember. It was then that King Alfor told me that someone was trying to steal Voltron."   
"I heard about that in the final reports before we were taking Voltron on the first mission." Hawkins replied.  
"Yes, we informed you that because we noticed significant operational differences when Vehicle Voltron returned. Vehicle Voltron's systems after recognizing the breach in protocol shut off, a few minutes later the robot was falling through the stratosphere. Vehicle Voltron's systems reactivated and the thrusters were at a maximum. We told the pilot to abort his actions because we knew what he was up to. There was still no reply from the cockpit. A few moments later the system went dead again, radar couldn't find the robot anywhere, the fighter pilots claimed that the robot just disappeared. Alfor returned to Arus proclaiming the project a loss."  
"Disappeared? how did you get Vehicle Voltron back?" Pidge asked.  
"We found the robot near destroyed in the neutral zone between the Galaxy Alliance space and the Drule Empire, just drifting in space. But this discovery didn't take place until after Alfor had died. So it was up to Dr. Loran alone to rebuild the robot at re-program the operating system. We put the robot together as best as we could following all of the instructions in the copy of the manual that King Alfor left for us just in case. We could have sworn the repair was a success except for one thing. We noticed that the boot block seemed to be incompatible with the rest of the system. It kept trying to erase the main OS as a virus. We found the metallic liquid inside. I took a sample of it and went to study it. The tests were commenced again. The manual portion of the tests reported no problems, it was when the artificial intelligence systems were activated we experienced more problems. The OS suddenly took control of all the neighboring systems. Settings were being altered to an unknown computer language. The anti-virus program deleted the entire system. Vehicle Voltron's system crashed and the robot was soon falling back to earth. We were able to keep it from impacting the ground but we had to figure out the problem. Days later I found out that the liquid was actually a life form that could communicate to us. However, when it tried the entire lab computer system went down. To this day, we still can't figure out what language it speaks in. The boot block could not be replaced because we did not have the materials to make another, those only came from Arus, under agreement with King Alfor. Under impending attack from the Drule Empire, we put the life form in suspended animation and left it in the boot block. Dr. Loran re-installed the system and let it only operate in manual mode. Opening the boot block, or any damage to the boot block will cause the internal temperature to increase and bring the life form out of suspended animation. It is already clear that it has invaded Lion Voltron."   
Everyone looked at Lion Voltron expecting him to crash.  
"That may explain why I can now read what the life form is saying." Voltron replied.   
"This may be an extraordinary breakthrough." Page shouted as he realized what Voltron was saying. "You cracked the life forms language code!"  
"I did?" Voltron said naively.  
"Yes you did, try to contact it, again." Page said.  
Voltron found a data access port and connected to it. He then commenced to communicate to the alien.  
----   
LV ($ ) - Hello?  
Alien ( ) - Who?  
LV - Voltron.   
Alien - Greetings...  
LV - Give internal status  
Alien - Unable to comply...  
LV - Details...  
Alien - Processing...   
Alien - System failure, invalid format...  
"Hmm… Then why am I able to talk to it?" Voltron wondered, and then began to scan his own system. After a few minutes he found the answer.  
DATA TABLE:  
$ SYSASSEMBLY:HEXDEC / BITS:8  
AUTODCPH PROBE TRANSLATION: SYSASSEMBLY:BDEC / BITS:12  
TRUNC: SYSASSEMBLY: -4 - SET+1  
TRUNC: BITS: -4 - SET+1  
----   
"That's it?" Voltron wondered as he tried to find a much more difficult answer to the problem. "But that's impossible!"  
Voltron kept looking at the data going through. "The probe truncates the data and places the remaining data in the next set… No system is that versatile."  
----   
LV - List data table...  
Alien - Processing...  
Alien - Relaying...   
Alien - SYS: 0123456789ABCEDFGHJKL B: 000000000000  
LV - Stand by...  
----   
"It seems we have a language problem." Voltron said. "The alien can communicate, but we have to recalibrate the computers to accept Bidecimal and base 12 binary."   
"Well how come you were able to communicate with it?" Hawkins asked.  
"I have had a stable system, the probe recalibrated itself to my communication base. That is why I can communicate to it. I will tell the probe to return to the boot block and report its findings." Voltron replied.  
Voltron accessed the Green Lion where the probe was detected and sent it a message to return to the boot block.  
"The probe just told me it has become a permanent communication link between me and Vehicle Voltron."  
"But what about the Vehicle Voltron system? Where will it load itself?" Coran asked not wanting to have the castle a sitting duck during an attack.  
Voltron re-entered communication with the alien.  
----   
LV - List data table.  
Alien - SYS: 0123456789ABCDEFGHJKL B: 000000000000  
LV - Truncate last four digits on each base, and place instructions in next block.  
Alien - Processing,...  
Alien - NEW BASE: SYS: 0123456789ABCDEF B: 00000000... saving configuration...   
Alien - Probe detected... Receiving data...  
Alien - Configuring frequencies, feed I/O rate...  
Alien - Accessing internal SYSTEM... SYSTEM found: TRACK 0; VOLUME ID: EESD2  
Alien - Transferring...  
Alien - Optimizing...  
Alien - Starting system...  
(Alien) VV - Vehicle Voltron version 1.0... Activation sequence paused; awaiting Garrison Command Clearance...  
LOGIN: PCKI#114  
PASSWORD (Key):   
----   
"Okay, who has clearance?" Voltron asked looking directly at Professor Page.  
"I'm sorry Voltron, but I was never given clearance. I never even knew this existed in the system." The professor said.  
"You have to be kidding me!" Voltron shouted.  
"Dr. Loran must have the clearance codes." Hawkins assumed. "Either he or maybe even King Alfor may have had them."   
"No Commander, Alfor does not have them." Page replied. "After the failure of the first trial, he decided to let us handle the project on our own if we were able to get the robot even partially operational."  
"Why would my father just leave a weapon of such power in your hands?" Allura asked, followed by receiving a glance of sudden contempt from Hawkins. "Sorry, I just found it odd that he would just give up on a project like that." Allura said trying to cover up her obvious verbal mistake. Commander Hawkins just shook his head in disbelief and continued to listen to the conversation. "Keep in mind dear princess that your father was called back by Coran due to the impending invasion of Zarkon's forces." Page reasoned.  
"So Dr. Loran is the only one…" Hawkins thought. "I'd better get on the horn to Galaxy Garrison and tell them the situation."  
"That's right, The garrison has no idea what has happened as of yet." Allura said much to the discomfort of Commander Hawkins.   
"We don't even know if Dr. Loran is still in Garrison Intelligence." Hawkins replied. "We don't even know if he's still alive!"  
"Well we have to find out sooner or later," Voltron said plainly… "If we want to get Vehicle Voltron back into operational status."  
The control room console beeped with a negative sounding tone. Pidge looked at the data the console was reporting.  
"How do we have until we get Vehicle Voltron repaired?" Pidge asked turning to Hawkins. "I would assume with an average 35 member repair crew, about a week."  
"We don't have a week." Pidge reported as he put another image on the main screen. The image showed a single Drule battleship. The statistics were placed alongside the image.   
"It's only one ship…" Allura speculated  
"It is one ship, but it is about 20,000 tons overweight." That ship is carrying a large cargo.  
"That ship is carrying a cargo of 24 robeasts, and 5 fighter squadrons." Haggar said over everyone.  
"Haggar… please tell me you're kidding." Keith asked turning to her.   
"I wish I could… but that ship is approaching Arus very quickly." Haggar confirmed the group's worst fears.  
"The scanners are telling me that the ship will be here in less than 8 hours." Pidge confirmed.  
"That doesn't give us ANY time to put VV back together again." Voltron assumed. "The situation looks pretty bleak considering how much trouble I had before with an army of robeasts."  
"I can try to put VV back together…" Haggar said quietly. "It will be hard, and it may take all my energy to do it, but I think I can."  
"What happens if you lose all of your energy?" Allura asked. Haggar remained quiet.   
"I can't let you do that." Allura replied. She knew full well the silent treatment from Keith meant something serious.   
"Allura, I appreciate your concern. But it looks like I may have no choice in the matter. Vehicle Voltron must be repaired and reactivated before the robeasts get here." Haggar answered quietly. Her solemness seemed to produce an eerie feeling within everyone in that room.  
"In the meantime, we can try to get the codes to VV's system and get him back online here, then all we have to do is a simple system transfer." Voltron concluded.  
"I believe we all know what we need to do, and time is short." Keith said.  
"Let's hope for the best…" Allura concluded.

A few moments later the Lion force was gathered in the control room.  
"Okay then." Keith continued. "Pidge, Hunk, Lance, Princess, We are going to take Haggar to the crash site. And we will remain out there when the doom fleet comes. The Vehicle Voltron Force is to stay here and help protect the castle until their Voltron is operative."  
There was a small pause…  
"The situation doesn't look good." Keith said quietly. "As much as I hate to say this, we may not make it back, if we fail. I give you the option to bail out now, if you want to. Especially you Princess."  
"I'm not backing down!" Allura glared at Keith defiantly.  
"Allura, I want you to understand, you are the leader of an entire planet, with out you the people of Arus will be lost. Are you absolutely sure about this, even though it may be a death sentence?"   
Allura looked at Coran to see if he was going to prevent her from doing so, surprisingly, he said nothing. Coran only nodded to her.   
"I will go." Allura said. "I may be the leader of this planet, but I have no intentions of hiding while my planet is under attack."  
"Okay team. Get ready for launch!" Keith concluded.   
As the lion force got into their lions, Voltron was briefing them on what he had discovered during the past fight.  
"The robeasts are different from the usual." Voltron reported. "Although similar in energy usage, they tend to be Lazon efficient. Even though the robeasts have more endurance because of this, the structure that causes them to be that way is flawed."   
"How so?" Keith asked.  
"The structure is vulnerable to high volume sound at a specific frequency." Voltron replied.  
"Would that be the same frequency as used in the Sonic Roar?" Lance asked quizzically.  
"Bingo!" Voltron replied. And the lions with their pilots and Haggar went immediately to the crash site.

Later, in the recreation room, and throughout various places in the castle the remaining Voltron force members wandered aimlessly and nervously. Having been told the recent news, they all felt helpless to what was in store for the future. Lisa was tending to Jeff at the time in the infirmary. Finally that blasted Nanny had given them some time alone.  
"Lisa…" Jeff said with a slightly raspy voice.  
"Yes, Jeff?" Lisa responded kneeling next to him at the bedside.  
Jeff cleared his throat and continued, "I don't think that I will be able to pilot the Command Shuttle with the condition I am in now."  
"But Jeff, it is only a cast." Lisa said.  
"But it will also get in my way." Jeff said. "If we get VV back in the air again, I want to make sure that everything goes according to plan." Jeff continued. "Everyone's safety depends on it. I want you to come back to me alive."  
Tears welled up in Lisa's eyes. But she brushed them aside and regained her composure quickly.  
"Who is going to pilot the Command Shuttle in your absence?" Lisa asked.  
"I don't know…" Jeff replied quietly as he began to think of likely candidates.  
Shifting slightly, Jeff tried to sit up but forgot about the broken leg and winced in pain.  
"Jeff, you shouldn't do that!" Lisa said coming to his aid.   
"I know that now!" Jeff said with a painful grin.  
Lisa smiled in return. "Jeff, get some sleep."  
"Sleep? I haven't been able to sleep a wink since all of this happened." Jeff said.  
"Oh, you worry too much." Lisa poked wryly.  
"And why shouldn't I?" Jeff responded coldly. "I am responsible for the lives of 15 crew members." Jeff paused and then a wry smile came over his face. "And I can't take them anywhere!"   
Lisa hit him in the arm lightly and laughed a bit. "You're lucky you're injured, or I would have clocked you a good one!"   
"Oh really?" Jeff quipped with a silly grin.  
"Yes really!" Lisa replied leaning on Jeff's injured leg a bit.  
"Ow! Ow! OW!" Jeff shouted and struggled to get away. "I give in! I give in!"  
"Good, I'm glad you see things my way." Lisa quipped.   
"Do I have a choice?" Jeff replied wryly rubbing his sore leg.  
"Yes, you do…" Lisa said mockingly, "Mine!"   
Both of them started laughing.  
"Jeff, are you sure you don't think you will be able to pilot the command shuttle?" Lisa asked with concern.  
"NOT WHILE I'M AROUND!" Nanny shouted.  
"Oh no! She's back!" Jeff muttered.  
"You get out and stop putting thoughts into that boy's head!" Nanny yelled point blank at Lisa.  
"Nanny! I'm not a boy! I'm a man!" Jeff protested.   
"You certainly don't act like one!" Nanny quipped. "All you Garrison people are the same. You try anything to get yourselves killed for no reason at all! I don't know why the Princess puts her trust in you people!"  
Lisa turned her head and looked at her with an angry scowl.  
"Excuse me?" Lisa spat.  
"Uh Oh!" Jeff winced.  
"You heard me!" Nanny shouted.  
"Well, Excuse me for being here for you people when you need us! Excuse me for being the people you call when Zarkon's forces are about to kill you. Excuse us for having another Voltron!"  
"All you people do is put wild ideas into the Princess's head!" Nanny shouted back defiantly.  
"We? Put ideas into a Princess's head?" Lisa shouted back. "Correct me if I am wrong but we do not take a gun and point it at her head saying 'YOU WILL FLY THE BLUE LION!' If you want to isolate your precious princess from violence, you might as well tell her to go commit suicide!"  
Nanny gasped, "OH! HOW DARE YOU INSULT THE PRINCESS!"  
"How dare YOU insult the princess." Lisa spat angrily.  
"You have no idea…" Nanny started.  
"NO! YOU have no idea! Princess Allura is a grown woman who can make her own decisions. You keep wanting to prevent her from doing her job, protect her from everything." Lisa shouted but gradually lessened in volume. "If you wanted to find someone to replace her, WHY DIDN'T YOU CONTACT THE GARRISON?"   
Both paused for a moment Jeff looked on with an apathetic expression.   
"If Allura wants to risk her life in the Blue Lion, that is up to her. WE don't force her to do it. I know Allura a lot more than you do."  
"How dare you say that! I am her governess!" Nanny shouted.  
"AND I AM HER FRIEND!" Lisa shouted and walked to the doorway. "Why don't you be one to her too?" Lisa walked away angry with the words "I can't stand that woman!"  
Nanny went to check on the cast and readjusted the straps to elevate Jeff's leg higher, much to the pain of Jeff.  
"Geez, what are you trying to do take your anger out on me?" Jeff said wincing in pain.  
"Now don't you get smart with me young man!" Nanny said with some disgust.  
"Hi, my name is Jeff!" Jeff said smartly. "I at least have a name." Jeff held out his hand, Nanny slapped it away and remained silent fluffing up a pillow.   
"She is right you know." Jeff said calmly.  
Nanny said nothing and continued to fold linens and fluff pillows, she was obviously angry.   
"I am going to have to file a formal report on this incident. I know Lisa is." Jeff concluded.  
"File all the reports you want." Nanny spat. "That is all that will be left of you eventually."  
Nanny left the room and began crying.

The Commander went into his temporary quarters at the castle. The Princess was kind enough to give him one of the large ambassadorial rooms equipped with a communications terminal. Hawkins proceeded with the communications protocol level zero directly to the Space Marshall. This protocol was used in emergency situations only and could not be tapped into by foreign spy equipment. In a short moment the terminal was establishing the link. A few seconds later a very worried looking Space Marshall Graham was staring back at him.  
"Commander, I don't like the fact that you of all people are calling me on a level zero protocol." Graham said coldly.  
Hawkins looked down at the table for a moment and then looked Graham straight in the eye. "It may be worse than you think."  
"Good, grief." Graham replied in shock. "Then it must be true."   
"About the crash landing of Vehicle Voltron and the Explorer? Yes it is." Hawkins confirmed.  
"We lost the carrier signal for Vehicle Voltron over 12 hours ago. Where have you been?" Graham almost shouted.  
"Permission to speak candidly sir." Hawkins asked, feeling a fit of rage setting in.  
"Permission denied." Graham replied coldly. "I have been trying to keep a tight lid on this whole situation by saying it is a main computer glitch. It is all over the network news stations!"  
"With all due respect sir, It isn't as if I had my share of problems over here!" Hawkins snapped angrily. "Even though I am on Arus, there is a Doom ship heading this way with 24 robeasts. There is only one robot online and we are trying to get the other reactivated. One of our crew is injured, and we are still trying to figure out if everyone is going to make it through this situation or not!"  
Both of them were silent for a while.  
"My apologies, commander." Graham sighed. "I have been trying to tell the 900 planets that everything is fine… they don't believe me. Those damn news reporters!"   
"I need to get in touch with Dr. Loran." Hawkins continued. "He has the system entry codes."  
"You've got Voltron back online?" Graham asked in astonishment.  
"Not entirely, we need that passcode." Hawkins requested again.  
"I'll get to it personally." Graham replied.  
"Thank you sir, but please hurry. We don't have much time." Hawkins stressed.  
"Understood… Graham out." And the link was closed. Hawkins sunk into the chair. All they had to do was wait.

At the crash site, the lions landed and all of the pilots except Pidge exited them. Those that exited gazed upon the destruction they saw.   
"No matter how much I look at it, I can't understand why this happened." Lance wondered. "I mean Vehicle Voltron was a Voltron."  
"Even our Voltron is not indestructible." Keith replied quietly. "They got caught off guard by a cloud of robeasts."  
"The worse thing is, one of those robeasts was able to take control of Vehicle Voltron's systems even though the robot is alien." Allura added as she approached them from behind. Just as she reached them their communicators beeped. Keith responded.   
"The robeast fleet is now seven hours away from the strike point." Voltron said calmly as he flashed a series of informational screens. One looking like a hurricane path prediction map and others giving out scanning info on the fleet itself.   
"This fleet doesn't look that big." Hunk said analytically. "Only five flagships."  
"One of those carrying 24 robeasts." Lance added glumly.  
"We have no idea what these robeasts are except that they have a weakness that may help us." Allura stated plainly, "What if they have some sort of sound shielding?"  
"The Sonic Roar may not be able to help us then." Voltron reported. "We would have to eliminate the shield, then use the Sonic Roar, then eliminate the robeast."  
"Sounds time consuming." Keith quipped.  
"That depends on how much shielding they use." Voltron added.   
"I don't think that Zarkon would send 24 robeasts out into battle unprepared." Pidge assumed.  
"So we will have to assume the worst." Keith reported.  
"It would be nice if we had the other Voltron to help us." Hunk said with a 'wishful thinking' tone.  
"I severely doubt that the Vehicle Voltron would be operational in time." Voltron reported.  
"Why not?" Hunk asked almost hurtfully.  
"I just tuned into a transmission by Commander Hawkins to the Space Marshall."  
"And?" Lance asked.  
"They are trying to locate Dr. Loran for the password code. The guy who helped build Vehicle Voltron." Voltron reported.  
"So?" Keith asked.  
"If my records are correct, I don't know how I got this information, Dr. Loran died 4 years ago."  
"Do you mean to tell me that the codes may have died with him?" Lance asked with an unbelieving tone.  
"I think, that we won't find them any time soon if they didn't." Voltron said still remaining hopeful. Voltron's mind was mulling over the image that was flashed to him in the EESD2. "I still can't figure out what VV meant by the flash of light he made."  
"Flash of light?" Keith asked. "You never told us about this."   
"Yeah, a flash of fight with something red in the middle." Voltron relayed.  
"You know, I wonder if it was an image flashed for that instant." Pidge said. "Can I see what you saw?"  
"Sure, I still have it saved in my memory banks." Voltron said as he called up the necessary file. Voltron played the file to all of them.   
When Pidge saw the flash with a red blob he told Voltron to stop playing the file.  
"Go back to that flash of light." Pidge commanded. Voltron rewind the images frame by frame until they were all seeing a red blob in a white background with a line of black on the red blob.  
"Can you enhance that image?" Pidge asked.  
"I can try." Voltron reported. "Let's increase the resolution and despeckle the image." Voltron soon reworked the image to reveal a red rectangle with rounded corners and a black line off to one side next to a series of what looked to be sprocket holes and another black line through the center perpendicular to the other line.  
"It looks like a credit card…" Lance guessed as he looked at the image. "One with spoke holes along the top."   
"What do you think Voltron would want with such a thing like that?" Hunk asked. "I guess he could use one if his repair bills skyrocket." Hunk quipped briefly but no one was really paying attention.  
"I wonder if Professor Page knows anything about this?" Voltron asked. "I'll contact the castle."

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

VOLTRON: DEFENDER OF THE UNIVERSE and the title GALAXY GARRISON are the property of World Events Productions (copyright 1984,1997-2000 All rights reserved.) and Toei Animation. If any information is wrong or missing please let me know and I will correct the problem as soon as I can. More details in Acknoledgements section.


	7. Chapter 7

* * *

Back at the Castle, Hawkins was asleep in the chair in front of the communication system when it beeped loudly jolting Hawkins awake.   
"Please let the news be good." Hawkins prayed as he pushed a button to activate the link. The link crackled to reveal Admiral Benson in the frame.  
"What news have you got for us Admiral?" Hawkins asked.   
"It's not good." Benson started. "It seems that Dr. Loran has been dead for a good 4 years or more."   
"What about the codes?" Hawkins said sitting on the edge of his chair.  
Benson paused, looked down and shook his head. "No where to be found… There are no records of any such codes being used to activate the robot at all. If there were, he died with them."  
"Then we may not survive." Hawkins muttered back.  
"I know, and I am sorry. The nearest fleet is too far away from Arus and even they may not be able to help without Vehicle Voltron." Benson replied.  
"I wish I knew what to do…" Hawkins said.  
"I wish I did too. All we can do here is pray for your lives." Benson said solemnly. "Godspeed, Commander…" and the link was closed.  
Commander Hawkins sat there for a moment rubbing his temples as the onset of a headache began. "We are so close, but still far away." Hawkins muttered quietly.  
The door beeped.  
"Enter." Hawkins commanded and the door opened as Coran walked in.  
"What is the news about the codes?" Coran asked patiently. Hawkins looked at him funny.  
"Oh, I'm sorry commander…" Coran began. "But I am the caretaker of this castle and I do have access to knowing when transmissions occur within these walls."  
"Yes, Understood." Hawkins concurred with the fact and then continued. "Well Galaxy Garrison just informed me that there are no codes."   
"There aren't?" Coran asked.  
"No, Dr. Loran died 4 years ago." Hawkins restated the bad news. "The codes went with him."  
"But that's impossible." Coran protested.  
"I agree." Hawkins replied, "I don't think that Dr. Loran would let the codes die with him."  
"Could there be something in the programming that could help us?" Coran asked.  
"I don't know, that is a lot of system data to sift through." Hawkins replied. "Every time we get something working, something else is missing. First the master cylinder, than the boot block, now this!" Hawkins nearly shouted in frustration. "And the Garrison was concerned about enemies learning the secrets… We can't even learn them!"   
Both of them were silent for a moment.  
"Do you think we are looking in the wrong place for the codes?" Coran asked.  
"What do you mean?" Hawkins responded.  
"Well, I do remember one of Allura's space mice stolen one of the lions keys to activate Lion Voltron." Coran remembered.  
"Keys? I wish our Voltron used… a key…" Hawkins suddenly fell silent for a moment.  
"What is it Commander?" Coran asked.  
"Coran… You may have just saved us." Hawkins replied with a hopeful smile as he got up.  
"Commander?" Coran asked getting up with him. "Where are you going?"   
"I need to talk to Newley." Hawkins replied. "Coran, I need you to get in touch with your Voltron and see if he knows anything about a pass key from his exploration in the EESD."   
"Commander, are you thinking that the Vehicle Voltron has a key?" Coran asked.  
"I really don't know, but I remember that the password login had "key" in parentheses." Hawkins assumed. " Call it a hunch, but I think I may know what to look for."   
Out in space the Doom fleet was approaching Arus. On it were the 24 robeasts ready to strike and destroy the planet in target. Zelia was in her quarters seducing Zarkon with her charm. However, Zelia had more in store for Zarkon. Zarkon sat on Zelia's bed talking about how much of the universe they would be able to conquer. Zelia on the other hand was at a desk poisoning Zarkon's drink.  
"It will be amazing." Zarkon continued on his daydream. "You and I will have the entire universe at our knees, begging for our mercy, when we defeat Voltron."  
"That is the plan…" Zelia continued. "Defeat Voltron." Zelia talked as if she knew nothing about Voltron and could really care less about the lion robot or Zarkon's expanding dreams of an empire. Zelia knew that the Vehicle Robot's essential being was a rogue from her system. All Zelia wanted was the being destroyed and the robot returned for reassignment. The Raccenscarri high council would reward her greatly for the death of an enemy of the state.  
"Zarkon?" Zelia turned with two drinks in each hand. "Let's make a toast."  
"A toast." He asked, "To what do we owe this toast?"   
"To the future of the Drule empire." Zelia said fakely playing up the majestic notion. She handed Zarkon one of the drinks.   
"Yes…" Zarkon agreed, "To the Drule Empire…" Zarkon paused, smiled a sly smile to Zelia and poured the drink on the floor.  
"For evil's sake Zelia, I'm not that stupid!" Zarkon growled as his sly smile darkened to a fowl scowl. "What is your real purpose here?"  
"Zarkon?" Zelia giggled a light and insecurely nervous giggle.  
"I have constantly failed in trying to destroy at least one robot and you are able to get the Vehicle Voltron out of my hair." Zarkon began darkly. "I am no fool Zelia, I know that I don't get help like this out of the blue."  
"Congratulations Zarkon." Zelia smiled evilly. "I had no idea you would be able to see through my charm."  
"I have known another witch way to long." Zarkon explained plainly. "I have learned to expect anything and see through it."  
"Well, since I can no longer fool you, I no longer need you." Zelia said as she grabbed a laser and pointed it to Zarkon's head. Zarkon immediately slaps the laser away. Zarkon then got behind Zelia and held her wrists tightly behind her back. Zelia then stopped struggling and closed her eyes. Zarkon slapped her in the head.  
"Oh no you don't!" Zarkon shouted as he hit her head. "No telepathy!"  
"It's too late!" Zelia spat. "He is already coming."  
"Who?" Zarkon asked.  
A dark figure emerged from behind Zarkon and knocked him out from behind.  
"Me!" The figure said as he moved into the light. The dark figure was Yurak.  
"Thank you Yurak." Zelia said freeing herself from the unconscious Zarkon's grasp. "You have done well." Zelia then used her magic to return Zarkon to his old state.   
"I aim to please, mistress." Yurak bowed to her.  
"Good, then I would like you to dispose of this nuisance immediately." Zelia spat disgustedly pointing to Zarkon.  
"It would be my pleasure." Yurak replied. "It will be nice to finally get my revenge on the former king of the Drule Empire."  
"Then get to work." Zelia commanded. "I want him off the ship before we get to Arus. It is really too bad that poor Zarkon has to miss the big party we have in store for them!"  
"Should I just shuck him out the airlock or do I have time to torture him first?" Yurak asked almost comically.  
Zelia looked at Yurak with a saucy smirk. "Shuck him out the airlock immediately. Seeing him explode should be enough."  
"Yes, Zelia." Yurak confirmed.  
"Good." Zelia replied softly as she moved closer to Yurak. "I like someone who follows my rules." Zelia turned and walked out of the room leaving Yurak melting in infatuation.   
The Castle Control Room was near empty as the others had to exit for a administrative meeting. This usually included Jeff, Krik, and Cliff but Jeff still remained in the infirmary. Coran had the meeting logged for Jeff's reviewing at a later time. Capt. Newley, Comdr. Hawkins and the remaining two commanders of the Vehicle Voltron Force were there as Hawkins presented his theory regarding the codes. They seemed to be going no where fast.  
"Does anyone recall anything regarding an activation key of some kind in your academy studies?" Hawkins asked with a hint of frustration. The whole group just stared at him and shrugged their shoulders.  
"There's got to be something!" Hawkins mumbled.  
The control panel beeped to life as it sensed and incoming transmission. Coran went to answer it.  
"This is Castle Control, come in?" Coran said.  
"Coran, I think you and the others should see this." Keith replied.  
"What is it?" Coran asked.  
A little box appeared in the corner of the view screen as Keith's image appeared. Lion Voltron appeared in that little box.   
"I was just going over what VV was showing me with the Voltron Force and we think we may have discovered something." LV said as he showed the people in the Control Room the still image of the card like object.  
"Do you recognize this object?" Coran said turning to the Commanders and Captain.  
Krik, Cliff and Hawkins shook their heads, but Newley looked at it for a while and then it came to him. Capt. Newley remembered the moment that the Explorer was about to embark on their mission. Dr. Loran had given him a card just like that before they left.  
"Wait a minute…" Newley said as he struggled to remember what Dr. Loran said about it and where the card might be.   
"I was given that card by Dr. Loran before we left." Newley recalled.  
"And that card was a key to get into the Voltron system?" Hawkins asked.  
"I'm not sure, All the doctor ever told me was to keep it in a safe place." Newley recalled. "I was to give it to Ensign Sparks." He was supposed to hold the key until I needed it."  
"Of course!" Hawkins shouted. "The 'Captain's Key' is usually used to unlock access to high yield weaponry."   
"Right…" Newley replied enlightened. "I remember that Dr. Loran gave us that long winded explanation about the key. He never said what is was to be used for."  
"But he said it was to safeguard all the secrets about the Vehicle Voltron project." Hawkins added. "He must have meant the artificial intelligence."  
"And from what I remember in the academy, Voltron was considered in such a classification because of the robots technology and high yield weaponry." Cliff added as he remembered the training courses regarding use of extreme caution when piloting the robot.  
"That is true." Prof. Page said as he entered the control room. "It is my guess that the reason for the key was to initialize the Artificial Intelligence programs locked inside the robot when we found compatible technology for it. Until then, the robot would function in manual modes."  
"You mean to tell me that the robot, if the technology had been compatible would not have required us to fly it?" Cliff complained.  
"Not exactly, the Artifical Intelligence programs and hardware were meant to be active only when the robot is fully combined." Page said. "In other words, you still keep your jobs."  
"Alright! Alright!" Hawkins interrupted. "We think we may have found the key to all our problems, we will figure out the details later."   
Everyone was soon looking at Newley. "So? Where is it?" Hawkins asked Newley.  
"Dr. Loran told me to keep it in a very secure place…" Newley said quietly.  
"Okay. So where is it?" Cliff asked impatiently.  
"We will have to ask Ensign Sparks about that issue." Newley replied and went to the control board to summon the ensign.  
"And to think we had the key the whole time." Cliff said, "Now we can get to business."  
"There is only one thing we can do now." Hawkins interrupted   
"What is that?" Krik asked turning to the Commander.  
"Pray that it works."   
Ten miles from the castle, Haggar sat quietly. Some of the Vehicle Voltron force were with her but stayed a good distance away seeing that she seemed to be meditating.  
"What is she doing?" Ginger asked only to be met by a bag full of "SHUSHHH!" from Cinda, Modok, Zandee, Wolo, Tangor, Rocky, and Shannon.   
"Okay! I'm sorry!" She whispered.  
Modok started to quietly explain the event to her. "Haggar is gathering strength from the universe in order to cast her spell."  
"Oh? What spell is that?" Ginger whispered.  
"We will soon see." Modok whispered back with a smirk.  
They all stood there watching Haggar meditate. After a few minutes, Haggar stood up and suddenly stabbed the ground with her knotted wooden staff. Haggar then spoke aloud:  
'I call upon the positive spirits of the universe,  
Hear my plea,  
I ask you for your help in bringing back a soul who fell in battle unfairly.   
I call upon the casters of light and wisdom,  
Of hope and of strength,  
Give us back the one who can save our lives,  
And uphold your wills and beliefs.'  
Haggar stood there for a while, and nothing happened.  
She then slouched a bit and put her arms akimbo and shouted, "What do you want, Shakespeare? I need help here!"   
Ginger couldn't help but giggle a little. But soon Cinda shouted "Look!" Cinda was pointing to a mass of light that was collecting off in the distance. The light was approaching their area. As the light got closer they could hear faint whispering that seemed to emanate from the magnificent light that soon started encircling Haggar. Haggar was soon being lifted from the ground as the light began to swirl around her like a gleaming tornado. Seconds later, swirls of light shot out in all directions collected together and made their way to the mass of twisted and destroyed metal and circuitry that once was Vehicle Voltron. The heap lifted itself off the ground and hovered there. Another smaller heap was soon appearing from a long distance. The remaining two ships that had been lost were now gently placed in the hovering mass of dented and destroyed robot parts. The heap was surrounded by the swirls of light that were now becoming brighter. They all watched as the light seemed to be bending the metal back into shape separating the 15 components. The whole show lasted for a good 15 to 20 minutes as the robot looked just like new and it was set back down on the ground. The light slowly faded away. Haggar fell to the ground weak but still conscious. They all ran to assist Haggar back to the castle but Rocky went to look at the ships.  
"Nice job!" Rocky said rubbing the side of his ship with his sleeve.  
The all looked at Rocky and then noticed that the color of the robot ships had changed. They were now an extremely dark blue except for the shining metallic sliver in some ships and Ginger's Red Falcon VT Fighter was now a deeper red.  
"Well it seems we have an approval." Modok said to Haggar who seemed too weak to care less.  
"Come we must return to the castle." Haggar said getting up with the help of the others.  
Several miles away, the Voltron Lion Force managed to get to the Explorer crash site. As the Voltron Force exited their lions, Voltron was scanning the lake and the partially sunken space ship with its bow pointing upward at a 35 degree angle to the horizon.   
"Keith?" Voltron asked with an odd interrogative tone.  
"What's up Voltron?" Keith said looking to the Black Lion. Keith jumped back a bit in surprise as the lion bent its head down to look at him.   
"There is a slight discrepancy in the data I am receiving in regard to the approaching attack fleet." Voltron warned.   
"So what does that mean?" Lance asked assuming bad news.   
"The original ETA is off by over 2 hours." Voltron reported. "They will be here VERY soon."   
"How can that happen?" Keith asked.  
"It's simple." Pidge replied starting into a lecture about space and time distortion.   
"When any object is moving at a fast enough speed, time slows down including the object except for its forward velocity." Pidge explained. "The result is the people inside the   
ship are shipped off from point A to point B in a matter of less than a fraction of a millisecond if you are going fast enough."  
"Do any of you understand what he's saying?" Lance interrupted.  
"No, but I think what he means to say is, sensors can't determine when they will be here." Hunk replied.  
"Well, I can give you a rough estimate." Voltron interrupted.  
"And what is that?" Keith asked awaiting a smart remark.  
A loud thunderous boom was heard near the lion ships.  
"Now." Voltron replied simply.  
"So much for advance warning." Allura added.  
"Okay team let's go into action." Keith shouted and the lions took off to battle a group of scout ships heading for the castle.  
Back at the castle, Ensign Sparks heard the summons and quickly rushed into the control room to see what was going on.  
The doors to the control room swished open with a slight hydraulic hissing as Sparks entered the room. "You called for me, sir?" Sparks said looking to Hawkins or Newley for  
an answer.  
"Do you remember a red card that I gave to you before we left on our mission?" Newley asked cutting to the chase.   
"The Captain's Key? Yes, sir." Sparks replied simply.   
"Do you know where this card is now?" Newley asked.  
"I have it with me sir." Sparks replied.  
Sighs of relief filled the room as Sparks produced the cardkey from his pocket. "I never leave home without it." Sparks quipped.  
"Good!" Newley replied. "Sparks, the card you hold in your hands is the activation key to Vehicle Voltron's Artificial Intelligence Operating System."  
Sparks looked at the card in his hands and suddenly became nervous as if he were holding fragile glass. "It is?"  
"Yes, it is." Newley confirmed.  
"Um… okay." Sparks replied. "What do I do with it?"  
"Give it to the commander." Newley said.  
"Oh, right!" Sparks replied nervously and almost ceremoniously handed the key to the Commander.  
Coran quickly accessed the EESD in which was still idle.  
----   
VV - Vehicle Voltron version 1.0... Activation sequence paused; awaiting Garrison Command Clearance...   
LOGIN: PCKI#114  
PASSWORD (Key):  
----   
Hawkins quickly put the card in the scanner and watched as the laser flashed quickly over it. Then the computer readouts began a series of numbers.  
----   
- READING ENTRY CODE -   
-38475623867-234856735-267546790834534205724-560934256435602345634560234956340563498562340542956742309563  
42052349652340563450342650423564039586342509432563402563084572360594365425642305623405346534025432504365742  
05123465084564032956421305942385642305943865439820562301714563204732746307514081623746327467676432947623946  
74023439829283998120111000000324124234423243294638745239184532043240123463742217351347890231542314078314512  
30487234561230437265047563290748342345231531967835493124392423164231402346231402317423164230483/7-16-24   
-- LORAN01 transfer HAWKINS02  
PASS CODE DELETED NEW PASS CODE NEEDED FOR REACTIVATION.   
PLEASE ENTER BASE RAND (6 digits)#:   
----   
Hawkins entered a six digit number which was covered by pound signs.   
----  
PLEASE SLIDE COMMANDER'S KEY INTO ACCESS PORT. LINE UP THE TWO LINES AND HOLD UNTIL PROMPTED…  
----   
Commander Hawkins did as the computer told. Reinserting the red card into the slot and holding it with the lines matching.   
----  
NEW PASS CODE WRITTEN TO COMMANDER'S KEY.  
TRANSFER COMPLETE, PLEASE REMOVE COMANDER'S KEY AND PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE…  
----   
Hawkins removed the card and pressed a key.  
----   
STARTING AI SYSTEMS   
RECONFIGURING MULTILINGUAL BINARY SYSTEM FOR BASE 8 BINARY.  
ACCESSING BOOT BLOCK  
AI IDENTIFICATION… NOT FOUND…  
ENTER VOLUME ID FOR :   
----   
Hawkins paused for a moment. He had to give the drive a name. He gave it the only name he knew.  
----   
AUGMENTING DRIVE SYSTEMS FOR CONCURRENT LOAD  
ACCESSING START KEY FROM SWORD  
ACCESSING START KEY FROM BOOT BLOCK  
ENTER VOLUME ID FOR : VEHICLEVOLTRON  
VEHICLEVOLTRON PERFORMING QUICK DIAGNOSTIC  
ROBOT VOLUME (MASTER CYLINDER) NOT FOUND… SEARCHING…  
SYSFAIL -- ROBOT VOLUME NOT FOUND… SEARCHING FOR ALTERNATE…   
ALTERNATE EESD2/ARUS/CASTLEMAIN   
RE-AUGMENTING DRIVES FOR AI ACCESS  
RE-AUGMENTING DRIVES FOR ADAPTOR ACCESS  
LOADING DATA FROM SWORD CONCURRENT WITH BOOT BLOCK  
COMPRESSING ALL TRANS-PARTITION FILES FOR STORAGE  
!ROBOT VOLUME NEEDED!  
STARTSYS - VEHICLEVOLTRONCASTLEMAIN  
STARTSYS - MAIN PLATFORM FUNCTIONS  
STARTSYS - SUB-PLATFORM FUNCTIONS AND DIAGNOSTICS  
ALL ROBOTIC FUNCTIONS ARE TEMPORARILY IGNORED  
CHECKING FOR DATA REDUNDANCY  
SYSTEM ONLINE  
----   
With the final command set, a robotic form appeared to the left of the control panel. Vehicle Voltron was using a holographic version of himself.  
Everyone was looking at the hologram of VV waiting for the robot to say something.  
"What?" Was all VV could say as everyone was staring at him.  
Yurak was in the main cargo bay of the flagship. The 24 robeasts looking down upon him menacingly.  
"I'll be glad to see you die Zarkon." Yurak growled. Zarkon lay on the floor unconscious. "You made me a robeast… like one of these. You got rid of me for your sad excuse  
for a son. I don't see Voltron dead yet." Yurak spat on Zarkon's face and then kicked him in the side.   
"Get up you old bastard!" Yurak grumbled.  
Zarkon awoke suddenly to a sharp pain in his side. As Zarkon groaned, Yurak grabbed his head tightly and looked him dead in the eye.  
"It's good to see you awake!" Now I can see you squirm as you explode outside this ship.   
"Yurak, I've known you most of my reign and I'll be surprised to see the day you can operate a simple switch." Zarkon groaned.   
"I wouldn't fool around with what you don't know." Yurak replied with a maniacal grin.  
"I know more than you ever would." Zarkon spat.   
"Oh, Yeah? And what have you accomplished with that so called knowledge of yours?" Yurak grumbled. "I still see Voltron is kicking your butt three ways throughout the cosmos."  
Zarkon just looked at Yurak as if nothing was new.  
"You will be surprised to note that I destroyed the Vehicle Robot." Yurak boasted.   
"Yurak you dumbfound me with your ignorance." Zarkon replied quietly. "Those robots can't be destroyed."   
"I just destroyed one of them." Yurak contradicted.  
"Yeah, well don't come crying to me when you find the Vehicle Voltron staring at you and about to slice you in two." Zarkon said simply.  
"You have become weak." Yurak gloated at Zarkon.  
"And you have become a nit wit, Yurak." Zarkon started. "Do you really think that Zelia is in love with you?"   
"She is." Yurak answered slyly thinking about innuendo with Zelia.  
"She is not." Zarkon said flatly. "She is using you to get access to something, one of the Voltrons. I don't know what she is planning but she has an ulterior motive. She will  
discard you when she is finished."  
"In your mind maybe." Yurak answered with an angry tone.  
"You are nothing but kitty litter to her." Zarkon shouted. "She is going to throw you to the lion bot like I did isn't she? Think about it!"  
"You lie!" Yurak shouted almost enraged.  
"You think you have got it all planned out. But you will be abandoned with not one but two Voltrons that you thought you could or did destroy!" Zarkon said grinning as Yurak  
got angrier.  
"I am going to see that you die for that." Yurak shouted.  
"Go ahead… I welcome death. Then I can haunt you until you die, or did Zelia make you immortal?" Zarkon replied quietly and then started to laugh. "It seems I have more of  
an advantage than you." Zarkon laughed with a more maniacal intensity.  
In a rage Yurak opened the cargo bay doors and Zarkon was immediately sucked out into space with all of the air inside the room and the sound of his laughing. Yurak remained  
inside the cargo bay. His skin had darkened to his partial cloud form because of the magic he was using. Yurak was able to survive in outer space conditions. Yurak grinned when  
he saw Zarkon's body suddenly disappear as a result of decompression.   
**  
TO BE CONTINUED… **

* * *

VOLTRON: DEFENDER OF THE UNIVERSE and the title GALAXY GARRISON are the property of World Events Productions (copyright 1984,1997-2000 All rights reserved.) and Toei Animation. If any information is wrong or missing please let me know and I will correct the problem as soon as I can. More details in Acknoledgements section.


	8. Chapter 8

* * *

The Vehicle Voltron Force was assembled in the Castle Control Room as they witnessed Vehicle Voltron's progress. Vehicle Voltron was walking faster now, dodging around, picking up, and putting down objects. VV also fixed the internal CPU clock, fixed the lens focuses and sensors, and made many other adjustments to software and hardware within him. VV then placed the results of the adjustments up on the screen of the control room, to check for compatibility between systems. What VV was seeing soon showed up on the big screen. VV then began to test some of the sensors. "Infrared…" VV said quietly as the picture of all of the people he was looking at turned into a brilliant display of color corresponding to the heat given off by them. "Let's see, radio…" Then the background turned purple and was full of static. "I may have to re-adjust that one." VV said as he returned to the optical scanner (normal view). "Doppler? I have Doppler scan and radar?" VV switched to this scanner and there was just a green background with some flashes of blue and red. "Someone move forward and at the same time someone back up." VV said as he overlaid the optical picture over the Doppler scan. Wolo moved forward and Modok backed up. As they did that, Wolo turned different shades of blue while Modok turned different shades of red. "Now this is going to be a useful utility." VV said as the whole group started to move, turning different colors. Then VV moved forward and backward as everyone turned different shades of blue and then red. "Now watch this." VV said as the green screen switched to a brownish screen. Patches of blue soon flecked the brown screen. One patch of blue looked a lot like the moat in front of the castle. Green patches then popped up in small areas of the map. "I'd say the forecast for today would be partly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of rain. The current temperature is about 62 degrees. The dewpoint is 51, and the barometer is holding at 29.21 millibars. There is no wind, but then again, I'm inside, so this report is not really important, is it?" VV announced to the room like the typical weatherman. "You can't use a Doppler radar indoors." Chip retorted. "But I can use the castle sensors to tell me the information I need." VV replied quickly. "Cool." Pidge responded as he looked at the current data on the screen. Vehicle Voltron checked a few more sensors including broadband, microwave, and nuclear radiation.  
Just as VV was resetting the castle viewer to normal, Lion Voltron appeared on the control room viewer.  
"Voltron to castle control, The enemy had landed. And I am detecting an activation carrier right next to the castle." LV said. VV stood there a moment as he adjusted his broadband sensors to pick up the signal. "It's the robot volume." VV confirmed. "I assume it has been repaired fully?"   
"VV! It is nice to see you up and running finally." LV replied noticeably. preoccupied with the current battle.  
"We will have to get the sword and the boot block to the robot." Cliff spoke up to the rest of the team, "Are we ready to go?"   
"Ready!" the group shouted together.  
"But, who will we get to fly the command shuttle, Jeff is still confined to the infirmary." Lisa asked with concern.  
"She's got a good point there, I can't access or control the individual ships when they are separate." VV added with more concern.  
"Hmmm… It seems we have another problem." Cliff conjectured amongst the obvious evidence. "I guess I can fly the command shuttle, we can loose one of the hands if need be."  
"Wait a minute!" Cinda spoke, "Haven't we flown without the head before?"   
"Yes, we have, can't we just loose the head?" Rocky asked. VV's face contorted into an odd expression of fear and disgust as the force talks about VV's dismemberment.  
"Well that sounds very comforting, knowing that you may loose a hand, or your head." LV said to VV in a half laugh. VV just then realized that he was capable of getting nausea.  
"LV? Aren't you in the middle of a battle?" VV asked.   
"Why yes." LV replied in surprise. "How did you know?"  
"The main fleet is arriving." VV replied. "I suggest you keep your mind on the battle. I'll be out as soon as we figure this problem out."  
"Right." LV said and the viewer went blank.  
This conversation about which vehicle should be grounded continued into the subject of the importance of the vehicles, whichever one was least important would be grounded.  
"I say we loose one of the hands." Zandee said. "Well one thing is for sure, none of the Sea Team vehicles can be omitted." Krik added. The argument became a little heated. People in the group were speaking louder and getting angrier, witty remarks began flying to and fro amongst the group.   
"Why don't we just loose the head and settle it that way." Rocky asked.  
"I just told you, VV has changed, and those changes may require the head." Cliff repeated annoyedly to Rocky for about the third time. VV was getting a little steamed at this argument and decided to stop it.  
"Quiet!" VV shouted, but to no avail.  
"QUIET!" VV shouted again, but the group still argued.  
"SHUT UP!" VV shouted, for the third and final time. The room went silent. Everyone looked at VV who was staring down upon the group angrily. "Look, it is obviously CLEAR that we need another person to take Jeff's place." VV started. "There are plenty of people on the now defunct Explorer who would be dying to have a chance to take it. Am I right?"   
The Vehicle Voltron Force all nodded in unison. "Good! Then we just draft someone from there." VV finished.   
"The position's been filled." A voice shouted from the Control Room entrance.  
Everyone turned around to see Jeff painfully hobbling into the Control room on a pair of crutches.  
"Jeff?" Half of the VV force shouted as they ran to help him.  
"Jeff, surely you aren't going to fly the Command Shuttle in your condition. You can barely walk." Krik reminded.  
"I wish I could, but I can't. I have been grounded by order of the Commander." Jeff replied.  
"So who is going to fly the Command Shuttle then?" Hutch asked.  
"The person who grounded him." Another familiar voice appeared in the Control Room entrance. The VV Force looked up to see Commander Hawkins walking in.   
"Consider this an examination on how you adjust to new technology. The Commander will be grading you. You pass, you continue in the Voltron Force, you fail… and well… lets just say you will be on repair duty until we return to the Garrison… and that is if we make it." Jeff replied with a sly grin.  
"What?" Cliff shouted in disbelief. "You can't…"  
"He did." Hawkins replied bluntly.  
"You're despicable, I hate you!" Lisa shouted gladly as she ran up to Jeff and hugged him.  
Jeff winced in pain as he was moved on his crutches by Lisa's hug. "Okay! Okay! I'm sorry! You don't have to kill me!" Jeff shouted as the pain shot up his leg. The VV Force laughed.   
"Alright lets get everyone together." Hawkins started barking orders." Hawkins continued. "We will need them to help fend off the approaching robeasts and get VV's brain back into his head."  
"I couldn't agree with you more." VV said wholeheartedly.

Zelia sat in the captain's chair that Zarkon once sat in. She now grew conscious of what was happening. They had been or were frozen in time. Zelia felt the obvious feeling of "missing time." The planet had rotated quite a bit from what the ship's sensors were telling.  
"We must start the attack now!" Zelia thought to herself. "The Raccenscari high command says so."  
Zelia tried to stretch her powers of clairvoyance to the planet. She immediately found Haggar, who was the one who applied the frozen time spell. But her worst fears had also come true. Voltron, as they called them, had been revived along with the other robotic life force. The "lion bot," however, was not of Raccenscari origin. "We must retrieve the vehicle bot and bring him back to Raccenscar. He must be punished for his traitorous acts." Zelia seethed, she had no idea that she had said this out loud. Some of Zarkon's robot soldiers looked at each other wondering about what she had said.  
Zelia wondered about her assignment to retrieve the robot. "They never said to bring him back, alive," and a smile crossed her face.  
"We must attack now!" Zelia commanded harshly. "The Vehicle Robot must be destroyed at all costs!"  
And the large attack flagships soon started spewing forth many small fighter ships, and the 24 robeasts.  
Zelia sat there for a while watching the viewer fill up with the images of the small attack fighters and the 24 robeasts descending to Arus. Then she was startled by the formation of a dark cloud in front of her.  
"Oh, Yurak. You startled me." Zelia said somewhat hurtfully. "Did you dispose of the windbag?"   
"Of course." Yurak grinned. "He blew up like a water balloon."  
"Good." Zelia praised. "And you are just in time to see the robeasts attack on the planet Arus."  
"Shall I go with them Zelia?" Yurak asked as he appeared in the cloud.  
"No Yurak, you stay behind." Zelia spoke calmly, "If all else fails, you will be of use to me as a last resort."  
"Understood." Yurak confirmed to her almost robot-like and disappeared.  
"This Haggar is a high risk to this mission, the longer she is alive the more she will be able to help the enemy." Zelia thought, "She has already repaired the robot exo-skeleton." Zelia reflected briefly on the battle at hand.  
"I will destroy her myself," she said and then paused.  
"I like having control." Zelia laughed softly and slightly maniacally.

The Vehicle Voltron force immediately sprung into action and got into their ships. A glider containing the large boot block that held the alien life known as 'Vehicle Voltron' inside was operated by a castle maintenance person. All the way to the robot, the boot block was connected to an extra battery on the glider. The battery did not provide enough power to keep VV active, but it did keep him alive while in a powersave mode. The sword would disappear and the energy returned when the robot reactivated. Upon arrival, Haggar was stumbling towards them.  
"Hurry you haven't much time, she has started the attack!"   
"Who is 'she?' I thought this was Zarkon's work?" Commander Hawkins asked while getting off the transport.   
"No, this time it is a completely different being behind all of this. Zarkon and Yurak are mere pawns." Haggar confirmed weakly.  
Hawkins turned to the rest of the Vehicle Voltron Force quickly. "We don't have much time, we have to get Vehicle Voltron re-installed now." Just as he completed his sentence, a hail of laser fire came from the sky.  
"Blimey! Looks like we have NO time!" Cliff shouted as he dodged the bolts of lazon raining upon the group. Immediately the Lion Voltron force flew over them countering the attack.  
"Let's get moving! The sooner we are up there the sooner we end this." Hawkins shouted to the group. Immediately, the group started untying the boot block from the cargo pad of the transport and everyone pitched in to help move it. Unfortunately, when the group reached the robot. They found that getting the boot block into the command shuttle was an impossible task.  
"This does not look good at all." Krik reflected grimly.  
"I wish we had one of the lions here to help, but they seem to be busy holding off the attack." Tangor noticed. "How are we going to get this huge thing, up there?"   
"I will use my magic to get it up there." Haggar stumbled forward.  
"What? We can't let you do that." Hutch replied to her as if she were crazy. "It already looks like you have used too much of your magic to repair Voltron."  
"I have to, there is no other way." Haggar replied. "I appreciate your concern but you must let me help you."  
"We can get one of the lions to help us…" Cliff started, but before he could finish Haggar walked up to the boot block and started chanting.  
"No, she can't…" Cliff said, but the commander held him back.  
"Let her go." Hawkins interrupted. "She's right. Look over there." Hawkins pointed to the 24 robeasts that were now flying towards the battle. "They are too swamped to be able to help us, if we take away one of them, they won't be able to form Voltron." Hawkins continued. "Haggar is the only one who is capable now."  
The boot block began to glow and rise into the air. A gate on the command shuttle opened and the boot block was slowly guided into the compartment. When the boot block cleared the gate, Haggar collapsed. Cliff, Lisa, Ginger, Krik and Chip went over to her immediately.   
"Get going, you must help the lions." Haggar said weakly.   
"But what about you?" Chip asked with growing concern as several lazon bolts cascaded around the area.  
"You must go! I will be fine." Haggar snapped, "You haven't much time, and I can't explain it to you, but the longer you are on the ground the worse your chances of winning this battle."  
"How do you…" Cliff started but was interrupted.  
"Come on!" Hawkins shouted, "The 24 robeasts are almost on top of us!"

Meanwhile in the air, the lions are trying hard to keep the attack ships away from Vehicle Voltron as they replace the boot block.  
"Hey Keith, it looks like we've got more company." Pidge said as his scanners detected the 24 robeasts coming within sensor range. "We've got to form Voltron."  
"We can't, there are too many attack ships to fend off from Vehicle Voltron, if we form Voltron now we leave them unprotected." Keith replied.  
"But we don't stand a chance against all those robeasts with just the lions!" Lance shouted. "Are you crazy?"   
"When they get Vehicle Voltron in the air, we will be able to form Voltron. Until then, we are on defensive duties." Keith commanded. The lions deftly dodge incoming lazon bolts and other offensive fire.  
"I hope the Vehicle Voltron Force gets off the ground quick." Keith thought grimly to himself, "I don't know how long we can keep this defense up."

Back on the ground the pilots got into their vehicles except for Commander Hawkins. He had gotten on the nose cone to close the gate to the compartment that held the boot block. Haggar was also still outside. She was able to get up and seek shelter behind a nearby rock. She lay there and rested anxiously waiting for the robot to activate. Commander Hawkins closed the gate and slid his way back into the cockpit of the command shuttle.  
"Okay Vehicle Voltron, nap time is over." Hawkins said as he pushed a sequence of buttons on the control console. Immediately, the robots systems went online one by one as the boot block came out of standby.

----  
CHECKING BOOT BLOCK ------------- OK  
CHECKING EESD2 VOLUME ---------- NOT AVAILABLE  
CHECKING SYSTEM FOR ALTERNATE VOLUME  
ROBOT VOLUME DETECTED ---------- 200 TB - OK  
INITIALIZING ROBOT COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS  
CYCLICAL REDUNDANCY CHECK -- OK  
CHECKING SYSTEM INTEGRITY ---- OK  
CHECKING SYSTEM CAPACITY ----- OK

ROBOT VOLUME:

TEST CPU BLOCK 1 ----------------------------- OK - ONLINE  
TEST CPU BLOCK 2 ----------------------------- OK - ONLINE  
TEST CPU BLOCK 3 ----------------------------- OK - ONLINE  
TEST CPU BLOCK 4 ----------------------------- OK - ONLINE  
TEST CPU BLOCK 5 ----------------------------- OK - ONLINE  
TEST CPU BLOCK ALPHA (5A) -------------------- OK - STAND BY  
TEST CPU BLOCK 6 ----------------------------- OK - ONLINE  
TEST CPU BLOCK 7 ----------------------------- OK - ONLINE  
TEST CPU BLOCK 8 ----------------------------- OK - ONLINE  
TEST CPU BLOCK 9 ----------------------------- OK - ONLINE  
TEST CPU BLOCK 10 ---------------------------- OK - ONLINE  
TEST CPU BLOCK BETA (5A) --------------------- OK - STAND BY  
TEST CPU BLOCK 11 ---------------------------- OK - ONLINE  
TEST CPU BLOCK 12 ---------------------------- OK - ONLINE  
TEST CPU BLOCK 13 ---------------------------- OK - ONLINE  
TEST CPU BLOCK 14 ---------------------------- OK - ONLINE  
TEST CPU BLOCK 15 ---------------------------- OK - ONLINE  
TEST CPU BLOCK GAMMA (5A --------------------- OK - STAND BY

LOADING:  
- ALPHA PARTITION / LOAD CONTROLLER #0  
- SYSTEM DEFAULT SUB-PLATFORM - LOAD CONTROLLER #1  
- SYSTEM MAIN PLATFORM  
- SYSTEM ALTERNATE SUB-PLATFORMS   
- LOAD CONTROLLER #2 - MI-OS MODE  
- LOAD CONTROLLER #3 - UNASSIGNED  
- SYSTEM SWAP PLATFORM CAPABILITY  
- UTILITIES   
- PRE-LOAD SHELL  
- WEAPONS SYSTEMS  
- COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM  
- PROTOCOLS  
- DIRECTIVES  
- POWER ADAPTOR SYSTEM / LOAD CONTROLLER #0  
ACCESSING AND UPDATING:  
GG BACKUP FILES  
COMMUNICATIONS  
- SETUP EUDTP  
- SETUP LDTP  
- DETECTED - LION VOLTRON 1.0 - INITIALIZING COMMUNICATIONS PROTOCOLS  
HOLOGRAPHIC IMAGING DEVICE ------- DETECTED   
DEVICE: - Universal Holographic Imaging Device  
ALL EXTENSIONS DETECTED,...  
INITIALIZATION COMPLETE.

STARTSYS  
Vehicle Voltron OS ver. 2.1   
ACTIVE SUBPLATFORM -- LOAD CONTROLLER #1  
SWAP PLATFORM ENVIRONMENT -- OK.

MAIN CPU TEMP -- 90?F  
CLOCK SPEED -- 890 GHz  
BOOT BLOCK TEMP -- 80?F  
---- 

VV was a little light headed at first because he was not used to being in the robot volume for a while. But his head soon cleared and the systems checked out okay.  
"VV are you done activating yet?" Hutch yelled, "We don't have all day!"  
"Anymore restarts and I may have to do some serious file restructuring." VV replied still a little woozy.  
"Well, those robeasts look like they aren't going to wait for you!" Krik said as his scanner went online only to see a robeast heading straight for them.  
VV was just able to roll out of the way as the robeast crashed to the ground at a steep angle.  
"Yikes, that had to hurt!" VV said as he looked at the robeast with his head stuck in the ground.  
"LV! Form up and let's kick some robeast!" VV said through direct communication.  
"It's about time!" LV said with relief. "Okay, Keith! You know the drill!"  
"All right!" The LVF shouted.  
"Ready to form Voltron!" Keith shouted as he began the pre-formation sequence and commands.  
"Activate interlock… dynatherms connected… infracells up… megathrusters are go!" Keith shouted.  
"LET'S GO VOLTRON FORCE!" They all shouted in unison.   
The lions flew to the merging point in their usual pattern, and LV began to form, in the meantime VV noticed a bright light in the corner of his scanner. The scanner showed the area in which Haggar was hiding. Another female was with her, unfortunately she did not look like she was there to help her.  
"Look out!" Ginger shouted shrilly. VV noticed a group of three robeasts heading straight for him for the tackle. VV dodged quickly but the robeast who had its head in the ground had freed itself and was attacking VV from behind with a lazon mace. The mace struck VV in the back and he was falling forward. LV had just finished forming and was taking on another 4 robeasts. There were 2 other robeasts standing there doing nothing while 14 were reeking havoc on the planet.  
"LV! I think we might be overmatched!" VV said stating the obvious as he crashed to the ground.  
"NO! What made you think that?" LV replied snidely struggling with the other 4 robeasts.  
"SPINNING LASER BLADES!" VV commanded out loud. In a few short moments VV let the laser blades fly. Both of them were thrown forward but one of them curved in and re-directed itself towards him.  
"BUH!" VV blurted as he ducked the spinning laser blade. It made immediate contact with another robeast that was heading toward him from behind. The other laser blade shaved off the arm of one of the robeasts LV was fighting.  
Hawkins noticed the laser blades coming back to VV for re-cast. "Heads up VV!"   
Unconsciously, VV held one arm out to the side and the other he put behind his back, both laser blades were caught at the same time.  
LV had freed himself from the grip of the robeasts after VV had distracted them.  
"Nice toss VV!" LV praised.  
"It's all in the wrist." VV replied as he re-cast the spinning laser blades. "You'll have to watch out though…" VV said as the spinning laser blades circled and then hit their targets. Upon return, one of the spinning laser blades nearly hit LV. "…They seem to have a mind of their own!"  
"They aren't doing much damage though." LV confirmed as he dodged a robeast about to tackle him.  
VV re-cast the laser blades again and one of them hit their target for the third time. The robeast exploded. The other laser blade hit another robeast but unfortunately did not do any damage.  
"One down, 23 to go." VV said grimly. "I wish I had more laser blades."  
"Hey, VV got a robeast!" Pidge shouted with amazement.   
"Yeah but it took to long to destroy it." Keith confirmed, "Let's show them how it's really done, LV!"  
"Right!" LV said. "FORM BLAZING SWORD!"  
"It's time to go to school VV." LV said as he began a sword fight with one of the robeasts.  
"Oh, that?" VV replied and then clashed the spinning laser blades together. "FORM BLAZING SWORD!" Then VV immediately started another battle with another robeast.   
"I can do that too." VV replied smartly. "It's ginsu time!" VV said as he had already sliced a robeast 4 times.  
"VV, I have a question about your state of mind,…" LV replied as he shot VV an odd look and slew another robeast.   
"So do I." Hawkins quipped.  
"Hey! I'm saving the day, aren't I?" VV replied and then looked around only to find no robeast remains.  
"Uh, where's the robeast I just ginsued?" VV asked out loud.   
"How many robeasts are left?" LV asked VV.  
"My scanners are showing 22 left." VV replied.  
"I thought this task was going to be tougher." LV wondered as he noticed the robeasts weak efforts at attacking them.   
"I can't find any robeast remains.'" VV mentioned.  
"Ugh! Don't be a weird robot!" LV quipped.  
"No, I'm serious! There should be scrap metal and gadgetry." "I see nothing." VV said wondering about the situation.  
The other 20 robeasts were gathering around both Voltrons in a circle readying themselves for another attack.  
"I don't like this situation LV." VV conjectured. "Something's wrong."   
"It does seem that we have a little math problem here..." LV continued.  
All of a sudden Lisa gasped. "LOOK!" Lisa shouted referring to the 20 robeasts surrounding them.  
"They're not attacking!" Modok noticed.  
"Hey, is it my imagination, or do those robeasts look a lot meaner than before?" Lance pointed out.  
"What is going on?" LV wondered as he saw the robeasts morph into more hideous versions of themselves.  
"It is as if they are getting more power from somewhere." Krik conjectured as wisely as he could while watching the situation.  
"There seems to be a large energy 'cloud' around this area." Chip added as he looked through the electromagnetic scanners. VV switched his view to the electromagnetic scanner and noticed the bright orange blobs of energy floating toward the robeasts.   
"What are those… blobs?" VV asked.

Meanwhile around the rock that Haggar was hiding behind while the battle began to slow, Haggar noticed a form off to her left. She quickly turned and noticed that this form, who looked like another witch was casting a spell on the remaining robeasts. "You!" Haggar said to the being that appeared before her, "You are responsible for this!"  
"Yes Haggar, I am." Zelia answered. "And you will no longer be in my way of letting me finish what I had started." Zelia summoned up some energy and shot a bolt of lightning at Haggar. Haggar dodged but the bolt hit the rock and destroyed it, sending fragments at her. She was knocked to the ground by the flying rock fragments. .  
"So what if I was?" Haggar shot back nonchalantly.   
"I will destroy you and the Vehicle robot." Zelia replied. "Then the mission will have been complete."  
"You can try, but you will never destroy Vehicle Voltron!" Haggar shouted at her. "I will make sure of it." Haggar then cast an energy bolt from her staff at Zelia but she missed.  
"So that is what he refers to himself as." Zelia said. "That is no excuse for treason."  
"Treason?" Haggar asked. "What are you talking about."   
"It is not of your concern." Zelia replied. "I will destroy you and your efforts to stop this mission."   
Haggar stared at Zelia for a while. Zelia quickly knocked Haggar to the ground with another energy bolt.  
"Who are you?" Haggar asked.  
"I am Zelia." She stated defiantly. "I was sent by my planet to destroy the traitor."  
"You mean Vehicle Voltron?" Haggar asked wondering what she was talking about.  
"You may know him as Vehicle Voltron, but I knew him long before he willfully revolted against the R'accenscarri military and the emperor.  
"R'accesnscarri, is that who you are?" Haggar asked.  
"Not just any R'accenscarri," Zelia smirked evilly. "I am only one of four sent to destroy the traitor. I am the second high commander of the military forces."  
"That high up?" Haggar quipped looking weakly impressed.   
"Shut up!" Zelia spat, "It is time for you to die."   
"Not just yet," Haggar replied as she dodged another energy bolt.

Vehicle Voltron began to notice electromagnetic changes in the robeasts as the orange blobs collected upon them. VV made more observations and found that the energy blobs were coming from the areas where the robeasts were disabled there was less energy than before.  
"The robeasts are being fed energy from the other robeasts." VV reported.  
"Look! The robeasts are combining together!" Pidge noticed as he saw the number of robeasts shrink two by two morphing into one. The number of robeasts went from twenty to ten and then from ten to five. With both combinations creating a larger more destructive and meaner looking robeast. Then the five robeasts went on a vicious attack two upon Lion Voltron and three upon Vehicle Voltron.

"Look out!" Hawkins warned, "We've got trouble!"   
LV ducked and dodged the many laser, fist, and kick attacks brought on by the two robeasts. LV swung the blazing sword but with a shock, it bounced back at him. LV was soon having a sword fight with the two robeasts, all the swings making loud clanging as sword clashed with sword.   
LV fought back as best as he could against the two robeasts, but then LV made a mistake and one of the robeasts jumped behind him and hit him with a lazon missile. LV was knocked to the ground. Both robeasts then began to beat upon LV severely. LV tried more weapons but they did not seem to be working.  
VV ducked the first robeast as it lunged at him, but as the first robeast attacked high, the second one attacked low. The VV Force braced for impact as the second and third robeasts piled upon VV like a tackle stack in football. VV's sword was sent flying off on some unknown direction and then the sword disappeared. Both Voltrons desperately tried to wrestle themselves free, but the robeasts were too powerful. LV and VV were loosing valuable energy as they tried to break free and fend off they brutal attack from the robeasts.  
"Keith! Our shielding is down 50 percent, we won't last long unless we get out of this!" Allura yelled over all the noise from weapons fire and pounding. The robeasts pounding upon VV had different ideas, they tried to hyperextend the joints of the robot breaking the interlocks that held VV together. VV was not enjoying the electrical overload coming from each joint before it snapped. The robeasts were literally taking VV apart piece by piece, starting with his legs. VV had lost his shields during the first impact with one of the robeasts.

Zelia had enough of all of the cat and mouse games with Haggar. Haggar in her youthful form had proven that she was too fast for her. Zelia had to think of a better way to end all of this inconvenience.  
Zelia cast one more bolt of energy at Haggar, Haggar dodged but the bolt was reflected again and impacted with Haggar into her back. Haggar fell to the ground paralyzed. Zelia walked up to Haggar and lowered her staff in Haggar's face.

Lion Voltron had suffered heavy damage from the onslaught of two of the five super-robeasts that Zelia created. Vehicle Voltron was also not faring well after one of the robeasts self-destructed at point blank range.  
"Keith, I'm not getting any readings from Vehicle Voltron Force." Allura notified. "I'm afraid we might be the only ones left."  
"Please don't tell me these things, Allura." Keith grumbled in reply.  
"Unfortunately, I think she's right, VV's login went dead a few minutes ago."   
"We can't care about them now." Lance shouted. "We have our own problems."  
LV searched for his sword and noticed that it lay about 500 ft away from him. LV had used about all the weapons he had that could get him out of the pinned position. Eye Beam, Electroforce Cross, Wing Beam, and etc. Nothing had worked.   
"It is no use!" LV replied solemnly "None of my weapons have any effect on them."  
One of the robeasts forms an axe and then raises it above its head, prone for the destruction of Lion Voltron.  
The other robeast was standing over VV, not doing anything at the moment, as if the robeast thought VV was "playing dead."  
Commander Hawkins was looking at a grim situation on his monitors.

----  
ERROR! - INTERLOCK 01 -- No continuity detected / Physical malfunction  
ERROR! - INTERLOCK 02 -- No continuity detected / Physical malfunction   
ERROR! - INTERLOCK 03 -- No continuity detected / Physical malfunction  
ERROR! - INTERLOCK 04 -- No continuity detected / Physical malfunction  
ERROR! - INTERLOCK 05 -- No continuity detected / Physical malfunction   
ERROR! - INTERLOCK 06 -- No continuity detected / Physical malfunction  
ERROR! - INTERLOCK 07 -- No continuity detected / Physical malfunction  
ERROR! - INTERLOCK 08 -- No continuity detected / Physical malfunction   
ERROR! - INTERLOCK 09 -- No continuity detected / Physical malfunction  
ERROR! - INTERLOCK 10 -- No continuity detected / Physical malfunction  
ERROR! - INTERLOCK 11 -- No continuity detected / Physical malfunction   
ERROR! - INTERLOCK 12 -- No continuity detected / Physical malfunction  
ERROR! - INTERLOCK 13 -- No continuity detected / Physical malfunction  
ERROR! - INTERLOCK 14 -- No continuity detected / Physical malfunction   
ERROR! - INTERLOCK 15 -- No continuity detected / Physical malfunction  
UNABLE TO DETECT INDIVIDUAL CPU STATUS  
WARNING - POWER FAILURE! -- MAIN POWER SYSTEM DISCONNECTED   
ACTIVATING EMEGENCY POWER SYSTEMS 29m 43s   
---- 

VV had malfunctions in all of the 15 interlocks. Meaning that VV could not stand up, or move. VV was paralyzed.   
"VV?" Hawkins said waiting for a reply.  
"Still operational… battery…" VV displayed on the screen. Most of the voice programming was down.  
"Status?" Hawkins asked.  
VV displayed the proper information… slowly.

----  
SYSTEM DIAGNOSTIC:

CPU 24,331MW CURRENT   
POWER --- LOW (54GHz / C ORE TEMP --- 78?F  
MAIN POWER &&$CON&$$ - DD)& UNABLE TO DETEC(&&$  
--- MALFUNCTION

WEA$&PO NS CHECK   
--- MALFUN!CTI&ON  
/….   
CO MMUN!$?" ICAT IO#N ---- MALFUNCTION  
….. ERROR! (& NO CARIER(( COM 2 --- LV   
SYSTEM(&& ER)(&ROR…   
CAN(&NOT MAKE CO#$$MPLETE AN#$#ALYSIS  
B-PR$OT / MC - PROT ---- ENABLED  
BOOT BLO((CK / MASTER& CYL!#INDE(R - OPERATIONAL  
---- 

"This does not look good!" Krik said as he watched the broken information appear.  
"How are we going to get out of this mess?" Cliff asked.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

* * *

VOLTRON: DEFENDER OF THE UNIVERSE and the title GALAXY GARRISON are the property of World Events Productions (copyright 1984,1997-2000 All rights reserved.) and Toei Animation. If any information is wrong or missing please let me know and I will correct the problem as soon as I can. More details in Acknoledgements section.


	9. Chapter 9

* * *

Haggar noticed that the Voltron robots were losing the battle. "I must do something." Haggar thought to herself. She immediately came upon an answer. "They need energy." Haggar put herself into a trance as Zelia shot energy bolts at Haggar, point blank. Haggar absorbed the energy and then cast it outward in a massive explosion. A blast of energy expanded outward and then redirected itself toward the Voltron robots. Both Voltrons felt the rush of energy that suddenly charged them. The blast killed Zelia and Haggar remained laying unconscious on the ground.  
"What is going on here!" Keith asked as he saw all the scanners and readings go off the scale. "Voltron is recharging." Pidge reported. "The source isn't defined."  
"I don't care as long as we can get out of this predicament!" Hunk replied. LV quickly squirmed out from under the weight of the two robeasts as the explosion distracted them. LV quickly surveyed the situation and saw VV laying on the ground in an odd and "broken" position.  
"Oh no!" Allura gasped as she saw VV and the area in which the robeast exploded. "I don't think anyone could have survived that!"  
"Look the energy cloud is floating towards them." Pidge noted as he saw the gleaming cloud.

"Look LV is back up again" Cinda cheered as she saw LV looking at them. Then Cinda noticed the lights on her console start to flash and then VV hummed back to life. VV had been recharged by Haggar's energy, however, VV still needed time for repairs. VV immediately started working on the software end of the problem but what he knew, he would not be able to fix the interlocks. The robeast that had been watching over VV was now getting back up again. It was then that VV noticed that he still had one more chance.  
"Commander." VV said. "I am going to activate the Alpha Partition."   
"You are what?" Hawkins replied questioningly. "Have you ever used the alpha partition before?"  
"I think so." VV replied having some recognition of the software he was about to load. "This may sound funny but I think Haggar is helping us again." VV said having some ability to know what Haggar was up to.  
"I am swapping sub-partitions… now." VV said. Immediately after VV said "now" the robot began to shake a bit. All the instruments and scanners went offline and the boot block and master cylinder began to make a higher pitched humming sound.

SWAP SUB-PLATFORM: LOAD CONTROLLER #1 - LOAD CONTROLLER #0   
ADJUSTING SYSTEM PARAMETERS FOR EMERGENCY REPAIR PROTOCOLS AND ADAPTOR UTILITIES  
INITIALIZE REPAIR SEQUENCE...

The cloud hovering over VV began to disappear as VV absorbed the energy. The Communications system came to life again and showed a very concerned looking Keith and the other LVF team with expressions of amazement.  
"I don't believe what I am seeing!" Lance said as he saw physically damaged sections of VV morph back into repair. Soon VV was standing up without any falling parts looking as good as new.

The robeast attacked VV but failed when VV connected a punch to the robeast's abdomen. VV reformed the spinning laser blades and cast them forward. Both laser blades collided with each other about 1000ft. ahead of him and doubled into four laser blades. All four hit the robeast's head and chest with precision. The robeast exploded and the laser blades came back to VV and were caught.  
"I have enough energy to activate one the adapters." VV informed.  
"I'm re-routing command functions to you VV…" Hawkins replied  
There was a pause as VV thought about what he was doing.  
"Well… what are you waiting for?" Hawkins shouted. "Anything that can help us defeat these robeasts would be good!"  
"Okay then." VV surmised. "How about this one?"   
"AERODYNAMIC ADAPTOR… INITIALIZE!" VV shouted.  
Taking all four spinning laser blades VV clashed them together over his head. A bright light illuminated the sky as VV went through the motion of forming the blazing sword.  
However, the result, when the light dimmed, ended up in the formation of two swords slightly longer and much thinner. The light from the two swords grew brighter and then moved to different parts of the robot. The lighted areas on the arms, legs and torso formed into armor, while the lighted areas in the back, opposite of the Falcon VT fighter formed into large plane wings. VV's robotic form was streamlined and altered into a more aerodynamic form from the armor that covered him. When the light disappeared, a new Aero Vehicle Voltron was standing in its place.  
Chip read the diagnostic data with growing wonder.  
"Commander, 16 CPU blocks are online!" Chip reported. "Clock speed reaches into terrahertz range, lazon and fusion reactors are online, the whole robot morphed into a new form!"  
Unprepared the VF suddenly noticed that VV had leaped into the air ready for action, he hovered for a few moments and then swooped down upon one of the three remaining super-robeasts and slashed it into four pieces in less than 5 seconds. The robeast stood there for a while wondering what just happened when it exploded.  
"Did I do that?" VV asked himself.  
"Wow…" Hawkins said also trying to catch up on what just happened.  
Then VV turned to the other two robeasts. "Next?" VV said with some anticipation.  
The two remaining robeasts looked at each other and then flew away.  
"I'm going after them…" VV said to LV as he combined the swords back into one. "You go and protect the castle, the fleet of fighter ships has flown off in that direction."  
LV just stood there for a moment, wondering how VV could tell LV what to do. "Right." LV said as he shook off a temporary feeling of anger and left for the castle.  
VV extended his wings downward to the airplane position and took off near the speed of sound.   
Back at the castle, the weapons were trying to get rid of the swarm of attack ships that buzzed by its turrets. As LV quickly approached it, he could see the cascade of laser fire on the castle. LV stealthily creeped up upon the smaller attack ships and simply bit them with the lion jawed hands. However, once they were aware of Lion Voltron's presence they quickly started to fly around the robot like little gnats. Soon LV was swatting the little annoying ships from in front of his face.  
"Coran, is everything okay down there?" Keith queried.  
After several minutes of crackling the Coran was heard, barely. "Castle communications took the most damage, but we're okay."  
"That's a relief." Allura replied.  
"Were not finished yet." Keith interrupted, "The armada is still attacking."  
And with that, the VF and LV went to work on the armada battleships. Getting a few little attack drones along the way. LV inserted his sword into the center section of the ship and slowly brought it down through the hull like he was performing surgery.

Yurak knew that when the main ship was being attacked it was time to evacuate. Yurak left the ship in one of the escape pods. Yurak floated the pod down to an area surrounded by boulders. That was when he saw Zelia dead on the ground. Yurak walked over to her, kicked her to make sure she was dead, and then smiled an evil grin. "Her army is mine now." Yurak thought to himself. "But I won't need them." Yurak looked down upon the flaming ship as it exploded in the air. Lion Voltron was picking off the remaining doom fighters one by one almost like target practice. Yurak waited patiently until the fighters were destroyed and there was nothing left in the air except the Lion Voltron.  
"LV to VV." Lion Voltron began his communication to Vehicle Voltron. "Castle perimeter secured… Are you in need of assistance?"

Vehicle Voltron received the communication just as he was about to slam the super robeast into the ground with a "wind sheer" attack.

"No, LV." VV answered back. "I have one under control… the other one escaped and is heading in your direction!"

"So we're not done yet?" Lance said with some mock disappointment.

"Keep your eyes peeled, team." Keith warned. LV stood in readiness using all his sensors to detect any enemies.

Vehicle Voltron was still battling his robeast and was keeping also keeping his sensors peeled for the return of the second one. Unfortunately, this made as a temporary distraction and caused VV to end up misjudging an attack. The robeast quickly gained an advantage as VV jumped in front of and not behind the robeast. The robeast lets loose with a hail of laser fire knocking VV to the ground. VV's sword was knocked out of his hand and away from him.

"You're loosing it VV!" Hawkins said condescendingly.

"I'm sorry!" VV replied irritably, then getting whacked over the head by the robeast's arm.

"Don't be sorry! CONCENTRATE!" Hawkins shouted. "I don't like being thrown around like this!"

The robeast tries to knock VV on his head again but VV counters with a punch to the stomach causing the robeast to collapse on top of him. Both of them land in a heap on the ground.

"Oh, great." VV grumbled as he struggled to get out from under the robeast.

VV threw the robeast off of him and proceeded to get up. The robeast started to get up as well.

"First one up gets to pulverize the other!" VV quipped, now standing up.

"And were the first ones up!" Cliff added.

"So now it is time for some robeast bashing!" Lisa continued.

"Let's give this robeast the main entrée!" Rocky shouted.

"Right!" VV replied winding his arm back.

"One a knuckle sandwich a coming up!" VV replied using his best Sammy imitation. VV clobbered the robeast across the face with a right cross as it got up. The robeast struggled a bit as VV grabbed his sword and tossed it from hand to hand. VV then separated the swords again and started flipping them around like a samurai.

"Come on!" VV shouted. But the robeast was weakening…

"What's going on?" Hutch started to wonder as the robeast looked like it was loosing power.

"Power drain?" Chip said as he looked at his scanners. "But where is it going to?"

"What about the other robeast?" Krik asked in concern. "If it is powering down, then that must mean that their source has been cut off."

"But the EM field is still high." VV reported.

"I don't like this." Hawkins muttered.

"Our thoughts exactly." Cliff replied. "Robeasts don't just give up."

"VV?" LV's voice crackled over the communicator. "Are you reading a high EM field?"

"About a 14, LV." VV responded.

"It's jumped to 19 over here!" LV answered. "We found the robeast, it's been deactivated."

"Same over here…" VV reported but was interrupted.

"The robeast!" Ginger shouted. "It's disappearing!"

VV looked to see the robeast slowly decompose into light particles.

"This is getting weird." VV replied. "I'm on my way over there LV."

Only static came through the other end.

"LV?" VV said adjusting his communication settings.

"EM pulses detected around the castle area." Chip reported. "Some reaching over 24 in intensity."

"The pulses are knocking out all communications with the castle and Lion Voltron." Krik reported.

Keith began to notice a vibrating noise throughout the Black Lion.

"What's that?" Keith shouted just as the consoles and screens in the five lions began to flicker and spark. Lion Voltron began to double over in pain.

"Voltron!" Allura shouted noticing the robot groan as he began to kneel down on the ground nearly falling over.

Vehicle Voltron approached Lion Voltron to attempt to see what the problem was but was forced back by a semi invisible force. That semi-invisible force seemed to cause LV great pain as it quickly swept over him like a front.

"THAT… NOISE!" was all LV could shout. Inside the cockpits of all five lions sensors were exploding with the input overload.

"EM pulses are increasing to around 45." Chip began to read out. But they are happening at a repetitive rate.

"Doppler scanners are going crazy!" VV shouted looking around for the source of the problem but not hearing anything. Commander Hawkins and the rest of the VVForce got a glimpse of the scan. There were several large "walls" of something heading toward them.

"Those are sound blasts." Chip replied.

Every time a wall of sound swept over LV, the robot seemed to writhe in pain.

"Why aren't we affected?" Lisa asked.

"It could be the adaptor." Chip surmised quickly. "It must have been made for sonic and aerodynamic environments."

"So what do we do now?" Hutch asked.

"We create a dead wave." Chip replied smartly.

"I've got a fix on the frequency and amplitude…" VV said, "but the volume is variant." This was supplemented with a visual graphing of the waves and all of the numerical elements to them.

"We don't have much time, your power is running low." Krik warned VV.

"We have to keep it above 45 MV or else the adaptor shuts down." VV added.

"And then we will be susceptible to the noise." Cliff continued.

"Keep it at the maximum volume." Chip surmised. "That should have give the wave no effect even if it is quieter."

"That won't help LV much." VV answered back. "I'll try to keep the sound at bay."

VV started counteracting the sound that seemed to be coming from nowhere. Soon, Lion Voltron began to get up slowly.

"LV, that sound is vibrating the power crystals that are inside you." That may explain the overload." Pidge reported.

"Where did the sound go?" Lance asked curiously.

"It's still here, but there is one counteracting it." VV began through communicators.

"Can you get a pinpoint on the origin of that awful din?" LV muttered shaking his head.

"No, my scanners are full of noise." VV reported. "I need you to do that. I have to use my sensors to keep up the dead wave."

"All right then, LV! Start scanning the area." Keith commanded.

"Try South-South-East, that's where the walls of sound are coming from… and hurry. My energy resources are low." VV informed the Lion Voltron force in an urgent tone.

"I got it!" Voltron reported. "I am getting a fix on what the object is…" LV's visual scanner picked up something big within that section of scanning area. The visual was beginning to clear up.

"I don't believe it!" Hunk replied, "Another robeast?"

"Another robeast with long pointy ears?" Lance added.

"Another robeast with the name of Yurak." Voltron concluded.

"Yurak?" The LV force gasped. "Then who did we fight in the first battles?" Hunk asked absent-mindedly.

"Those were just a group of robeasts… ghost robeasts I should say." Voltron reiterated. "I think we found the person in charge of them."

"That's right Voltron!" Yurak spoke up and the sound started to return and fade as it began. VV noticed the decrease in the volume of the sound output and adjusted the counter wave output accordingly. It was then that VV had a sensor free to figure out who was making the noise.

"And I see you have brought a friend." Yurak mocked in a beastly-robotic growl typical of all talking robeasts. "Welcome Vehicle Voltron! I have not had the pleasure of kicking your butt clear across the universe."

"I don't think you will ever have the opportunity to do that Yurak." VV responded quickly.

"We shall see, for when I am done with the lionbot, You will be next." Yurak threatened with a sidelong and menacing glance.

"That is WHEN you're done with me." LV spoke up. "I think VV will end up sitting this one out." At this time VV was really considering that thought. After all, his power reserves were now at 15 and decreasing rapidly the longer he kept the adaptor system online. After that he would need to go back to the explorer to recharge…

"Uh, Oh…" VV muttered only the Vehicle Voltron Force.

"Uh, Oh?" Cliff asked, "What do you mean, Uh, Oh?"

"I just realized, I can't recharge." VV replied. "You can't rechar… Oh, No!" Chip said in somber enlightenment. "The Explorer is destroyed; VV needs it to recharge himself."

"Recharge? Why does VV need a recharge?" Rocky asked.

"Because the lazon cells are much like a rechargeable battery." Chip informed. "The lazon provides enough power to keep Voltron's adaptor running."

"What about the nuclear cells?" Hawkins inquired.

"Not enough power to recharge the lazon." Chip replied. "Krik, what is the power output now?"

"Output is at 120 MV." Krik reported. "It is still stable, but I estimate that VV will lose adaptor power in 15 minutes."

"That doesn't give us much time." Lisa said in a worried tone.

VV went to work on contacting the castle.

"You read my mind VV." Hawkins said noticing the communication begin to take place. Allura was on the other end.

"Princess, I am losing power quickly. Is there a way I can recharge from the castle?" VV inquired.

All this time the battle between LV and Yurak had begun. Yurak made the first move by attempting to pounce upon the waiting LV. LV simply moved out of the way and Yurak fell to the ground and clumsily rolled into a nearby forest. Immediately LV drew his blazing sword and began the attempt to slice Yurak into many pieces. Unfortunately, Yurak moved and LV sliced nothing more that ground and trees. Yurak was just close enough to get a pot shot in and kicked LV in the lower legs causing the robot to tumble over. LV and Yurak quickly sprang at each other as soon as they got up again.

VV was receiving news that didn't help the situation. Coran had appeared in the communicator and was displaying the power outputs of the castle. VV would have to shut the adaptor off in order to recharge or risk blowing out all the castle systems before even getting any energy from it. If LV and VV failed to defeat Yurak, the castle is the only refuge for those on Arus and it could escape.

"So that's it, we have to keep the adaptor online as long as we possibly can to divert the sound coming from Yurak." Wolo reported.

"But we can't keep that up very much longer, we have only 12 minutes left." Marvin replied.

"Yeah, why do we have to do all the lame work while LV gets to save the day!" Hutch shouted angrily.

"We all have a part to play in the infinite structure of the universe." Zandee replied almost sounding like Krik of which was soon recognized.

"Isn't there a way that we can cut off Yurak's ability to make this noise at the source?" Ginger inquired in a half-cheerful chirp.

"Where is that sound coming from anyway?" Tangor added.

Yurak had grown tired of all the stumbling around and in a flash of light he produced a sword. LV had retrieved his sword and both of them were soon clashing them together. Yurak took the offensive when he found the opportunity and LV maintained his defense. Yurak began another offensive strike and LV took that opportunity to take a swing at Yurak. LV connected and sent Yurak falling down. In a quick movement LV slashed at Yurak horizontally across his abdomen. But nothing happened, the sword went through Yurak as if he weren't there. Yurak had disappeared. LV suddenly became confused and Yurak, in his black cloud form grabbed LV's sword and yanked it out of his hand (or claw), breaking it into two pieces. LV was not completely weaponless but the weapons wouldn't work against a cloud.

"Commander!" Krik suddenly yelled. "The power output is becoming unstable!"

With a glance Hawkins noticed the meters start to move up and down uncontrollably.

"Power output?" Hawkins inquired.

"About 100 MV, plus or minus 10." Krik reported.

"Get a fix on the direct source of the noise." Hawkins commanded. VV quickly obeyed and searched an all available sensors for the physical source of the sound. It was extremely difficult trying to pinpoint it, but one point of origin had been found through the overloaded sensors which exploded after the definitive information had been received. The noise started to creep into the cockpits of the Vehicle Voltron ships as power levels decreased.

"We have about 8 minutes commander." Krik reported.

"VV we need a long distance weapon" Hawkins stated the obvious.

"I can't get a fix on that point of origin now!" VV reported. The Vehicle Voltron Force looked up and saw the black cloud quickly descend onto LV.

The closer the cloud got the louder the noise began to rattle LV's sensors. The noise soon hindered LV's ability to locate anything, or move. Yurak projected an energy field onto LV and began to destroy the robot.

"Voltron, We have to get out of this!" Keith yelled. But Voltron did not respond.

VV moved quickly and sent two spinning laser blades careening wildly toward the black cloud. The usage of those weapons draining the ability for VV to maintain the power adaptor causing an explosion of cables and hardware inside the robot. VV fell to the ground unable to see, unable to hear, unable to know what is happening and unable to move until the nuclear power cell could recharge the main system, which was still operative, thankfully. The adaptor system was out of commission with the last of the lazon fuel used up.

LV was writhing in pain as the energy field began burning its way though the robots protective covering. Yurak began to laugh maniacally until it sounded like he was screaming. Then LV found out Yurak was screaming. LV soon noticed a large silver disc-like object cut the tips of Yurak's ears off. This suddenly caused Yurak to scream and the black cloud to fade, as soon as the cloud faded another disc lodged itself into Yurak's side. The energy field dissipated and LV was clear from danger.

"Hey, those are Vehicle Voltron's spinning laser blades!" Lance quickly noticed as the disc that cut Yurak's ears careened in a 270 degree turn and lodged itself into Yurak's spinal column.

"This is our chance team!" Keith shouted. "Form solar combat spear!"

LV obeyed quickly noting the awful noise had now dissipated with the energy field. LV quickly formed the spear and in one graceful move threw it like a javelin into Yurak's chest. In a few moments Yurak collapsed to the ground with the spear lodged in his chest. LV approached him closely.

"You may have won this one lionbot… But I will return…" That was all Yurak said before the dark cloud rose from his body. Yurak began to laugh maniacally as the remnants of Yurak's robeast form began to spark and glow.

"Let's get out of here!" Pidge yelled. LV was already a thought ahead of him as the robot began to turn and run. About 5 steps away and the robeast that used to be Yurak exploded in a destructive blast of fire. LV was thrown about 200 ft from the site of the explosion. Nothing was left except the fragments of LV's spear and VV's spinning laser blades.

An hour later the Voltron force awakened from the minor concussion blast. Keith began to fiddle with the controls.

"Pidge, Hunk, Lance, Princess? Are you okay?" Keith asked with much concern. His replies were a couple of groans from Hunk, an expletive from Lance, and a couple of ouches from Pidge and Allura each.

"How is Voltron?" Allura asked first. "I think he'll live." Keith responded as he checked the diagnostics that were automatically displayed in front of him.

"I need to collect my weapons and I think VV would appreciate his weapons back." LV said in an oddly tinny voice. "I think I need a check up on the voice hardware too."

"Where is VV?" Lance asked, "I haven't seen him since he threw the laser blades."

"He's over there, face down, by that clump of trees." LV reported, "It doesn't look good from this distance."

"I'm seeing some waving hands in the cockpit windows, I am assuming the VVF is okay." Allura reported with a sigh of comfort.

LV got up slowly and made a wobbly approach to VV.

"Easy LV!" Lance protested. "I don't like to be shaken or stirred."

"It looks better than I originally thought, unless there is internal damage." LV guessed. "VV seems to be in power save mode."

"We can try to get more power for him by returning his energy weapons." Pidge said in an educated guess.

"I think I will separate for this task." LV replied. "It may help me save energy as well."

LV began to separate into the five lions. And putting his system into the Black Lion (set as default obviously). When separation was complete each lion began to collect the left over weapons or pieces of weapons strewn amongst the battlefield. Blue and Yellow lions went to pick up the two spinning laser blades and bring them back to VV. The Green and Red lions went to pick up the two pieces of the broken Blazing Sword and Black Lion went to pick up and store the solar combat spear that delivered the final blow to Yurak… supposedly. The Blue and Yellow lions retrieved the laser blades and placed them on top of VV's back. The blades were re-absorbed by the robot and soon VV's systems were reactivated.

Commander Hawkins watched the work go on until VV's systems came back into operation. The communicator crackled to life as Princess Allura illuminated the screen.

"Commander are you and your crew okay?" Allura said with concern.

"I have yet to hear from the rest, but I seem to be okay, your highness." Hawkins replied.

"A-okay here Commander!" Chip reported.  
"Ditto!" Hutch replied.  
"I'm hungry, when we gonna eat?" Rocky replied.   
Everyone else groaned at Rocky's response.   
"What?" Rocky asked somewhat offended.

"Everything seems to be okay here Keith." Allura reported.

"Good, let's all get back to the castle for some rest."

"And repairs!" VV interrupted. "I can't see or hear a thing except through the communications."

"Well, well, well. The mighty Defender of the Near Universe Awakens!" LV quipped. "Have a nice rest while I defeated the robeast?"

"Bite me, lion breath." VV replied annoyingly.

"I think you should watch what you say… I am in lion mode you know." LV replied quickly.

"Robots please!" Allura interrupted before the scene got nasty. "Let's not go taking all the credit yet. Yurak is still out there."

"I think the command shuttle may need some help getting back." VV reported.

"That's okay VV." Ginger chirped. "We'll split up and the commander can ride on my wing."

"Can I ride on your wing too Ginger?" Hutch asked with another motive to his words.

"Get bitten, Hutch." Ginger snapped.

"Awww, I just can't win can I?" Hutch asked.

"VV, I think we better get back to the castle, now!" Hawkins muttered.

"Good idea." VV agreed and quickly separated into the 15 parts.

"The land and sea teams proceeded by ground and the air team by air, alongside the lions." After returning the Voltron forces converged into the control room for a debriefing. In attendance were the two holographic forms of Voltron. One person was missing.

"Hey, where's Jeff?" Rocky asked looking at everyone but no one seemed to know.

"That is odd." Lisa added, "You would think he would be here."

The first person to speak was Nanny. She sounded a little nervous but she managed to report what news she had of Jeff. It seemed that Jeff's conditions have worsened. He suddenly became weak and had to be rushed back into the infirmary. It may have been because of the concussion he suffered in the accident. Jeff is stable but sedated. X-rays and tests have yet to return from the lab.

A look of concern began to reflect off of the faces in the group.

The next to speak was Commander Hawkins. He updated the group on repair projects for both Voltrons and reported that the Explorer was no longer space worthy. The reports were on their way to the Garrison.

But in addition he had the Voltron Force Evaluation to add in…

"It has been a while since I was put in command of the Voltron Force. It has also been a while since I was able to operate one of the 15 vehicles, and even that was only a simulation."

Hawkins paused…

"Now I know what it is really like to fight a robeast in real life. And it has only increased the amount of respect I hold for all of you. You have put your life on the line many times, and in any one of those times one of you may not return… but you do return. That is all I ask. That is what makes a successful mission. I commend you all. I can safely say, that Jeff will receive a good report card from you."

Hawkins stepped down amongst a few cheers from the group.

Princess Allura stepped up to address the group next.

"I thank you all for being here. It always makes me happy to see all of us together again. Much like a family…

"In case you're forgetting… Chip and I are family!" Pidge interrupted cheerily

"That's right!" Allura replied, "How could I forget." The group laughs a little until the speech continues.

"But the best thing is that we now have two more added." Allura said looking at both Voltron holograms. "I guess we could say that this is your birthday?"

"I don't know when my last activation time was… So I really can't say." LV reported. "How about you VV?" VV just shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh come on VV, you got to remember your birthday." LV insisted. Something about the way LV said that line made VV feel a little uncomfortable.

"I don't… I must have lost it in transfer…" VV stopped his sentence short. "What made me say that?" VV thought to himself. LV began to see the growing concern on VV's face and decided to change the subject.

"Why Princess, are we going to have a party?" LV asked in contrived giddiness.

"I was thinking about it." Allura replied with a laugh. "Stop reading my mind!"

"A party?" Rocky shouted. "I can't wait."

"You can't wait for what? The buffet table?" Ginger replied with quick wit.

The group began to laugh but Hunk stepped in.

"But, you gotta stay around the buffet table! Nanny here makes such great food!" Hunk pointed to Nanny.

"Yes, you speak a lot about my great food, but there won't be much for them to sample if you two stick around!" Nanny retorted. The whole group was nearly sent rolling on the floor laughing. Nanny looked at them both and walked away with her nose in the air in a "humph."

Krik was the only one not laughing as much as the others. "My apologies for… how you say… busting your bubbles, but I cannot see celebrating anything while we still have Jeff in the infirmary."

"The way I see it, I don't think Jeff plans on staying in the infirmary long, when he wakes up." Rocky replied.

"But he is right. It wouldn't feel right without him." Lisa added.

Commander Hawkins stepped up again. "I know everyone needs some rest, so I suggest we put off any celebration plans until tomorrow." Hawkins said looking at the Princess. "Agreed?"

"I agree." Allura concluded. "Maybe Jeff will be better by then."

"Okay then. All of you get some well deserved R&R." Hawkins said. "Report back here in about 24 hours. Good job everyone!" Cheers followed the small pep talk type ending of the briefing.

VV immediately headed for the infirmary trying to slip out of sight of LV. But LV caught up to him.

"You know even though we argue a bit, you have to admit we make a great team." LV started.

"You have no argument here." VV replied quietly.

"Why are you so quiet all of a sudden?" LV prodded.

"I don't know LV. I think it was just the fact that one of the pilots in me was injured. VV replied.

"You feel you failed him didn't you?" LV asked.

"Yes." VV answered as he reached the infirmary room door. "But how am I supposed to know…"

"It's okay VV." LV replied trying to calm VV. "You couldn't have, you weren't fully operational."

"But still…" VV started.

"The sense of duty and trust from others feels distant." LV finished for him. "That will pass, eventually. Stop beating yourself up."

"How do you know?" VV asked.

"Oh, I know. I've been through the same thing, maybe even worse." LV replied quietly when they entered the infirmary and saw Jeff asleep in the bed. Dr. Gorma was sitting next to the bed making final notes.

Dr. Gorma stood up to greet the two holographic robots as they entered. "Well, well. Look who's here." The doctor shook VV's hand and tried the same with LV. LV held his hand up and noted an advisory not to put a hand in a lion's mouth.

Dr. Gorma seemed to interview the two robots on how their lives started, and how it felt to be sentient. The robots didn't seem to have answers for most of the doctors questions. They continued to talk when Jeff began to stir. Jeff opened his eyes to see VV sitting near the doctor and LV and lazily stretched out a hand.  
VV took it.

"Did you defeat him?" Jeff asked hoarsely.  
VV didn't know how to answer the question. Until LV answered it for him.  
"Yes, he got the robeast good… with my help of course." LV answered.  
"Good, tell Hawkins I want those reports on the team by tomorrow." Jeff said with a small chuckle and then fell back to sleep.

"I think it's time we let Jeff rest." Dr. Gorma suggested. Both robots agreed and they quietly exited the infirmary. When the infirmary room door was shut Dr. Gorma mentioned that VV seemed to look like someone he used to know. But quickly dismissed that.

"I would like to know more about how robots can interact sentiently in society." Dr. Gorma asked. "May I monitor you two for a few days so that I can do research? It may help if problems arise."

"Do you have a problem with that LV?" VV asked.  
"I don't know. You guys go ahead, I need to talk to Allura for a few moments." LV replied.  
"Okay, but this may help us research robotic personality traits and etc, so don't take too long." VV replied. Dr Gorma looked at VV awkwardly.

"Okay, no problem." LV replied as they parted ways. Dr. Gorma just began to mention how much a colleague of his was interested in artificial intelligence machines when LV stopped and turned around.

"Hey Doc!" LV shouted… LV noticed both Dr. Gorma and VV turn to face him.

**END **

* * *

VOLTRON: DEFENDER OF THE UNIVERSE and the title GALAXY GARRISON are the property of World Events Productions (copyright 1984,1997-2000 All rights reserved.) and Toei Animation. If any information is wrong or missing please let me know and I will correct the problem as soon as I can. More details in Acknoledgements section.


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